Beyond Carbon Creek
by Ellen Fitzwilliam Brandybuck
Summary: To bond with this human would be illogical and yet after some months on her isolated ranch Mestral can't fathom doing otherwise. Their future will be fraught with challenges but linked as they are there is no doubt: they will overcome the odds. But what will become of their descendants in a world torn apart? Is there a place for the human emotion of hope? Mestral/OC, origin OC/Sov
1. The Newcomer

_I've long been curious as to what sort of life Mestral would've lived on earth: whether or not he'd stay in Carbon Creek or become more like a wandering gypsy in his efforts to study humanity. I don't own anything except the idea of this story and the OCs. I hope you enjoy; please review if you do or even if you don't. Also if you have a request for a certain scene or moment let me know, I aim to please. :)_

* * *

He found the heat cast by the midday sun to be most agreeable. His prior research on the north Midwestern area of this country had alerted him to the extreme weather patterns that often occurred in the 365 day pattern year, with the winters being far colder than any he'd experienced prior. He'd already made what he felt to be the necessary arrangements to combat the coming winter: instead of having one suitcase he now carried two, his newly bought winter coat taking up most of the space in the second suitcase. The official first day of winter was still four months, seven days, thirteen hours, and twenty-seven minutes away. If he had need of purchasing more supplies in order to cope with the weather patterns of this region, he would have ample amount of time to do so.

Mestral stepped away from the bus and onto the curb of the Montana town of Great Falls. He set his suitcases on the ground by his feet and turned slowly in a circle, observing all that was around him as he recited what he knew of the place in his mind. Currently it was the largest city in Montana with the population size, according to the last census, at 55,244. He knew the average temperature in summer was 90 degrees Fahrenheit and winter below 0. The wettest months were in spring and the summers often had thunderstorms in the afternoon. The primary economic activities of the city were centered on the river and its trade but further out from the city the economic activities varied between agriculture and cattle ranching. It was for the latter that he'd come here.

In the four years he'd been on this planet he'd made it a point to never stay longer than a year in one area. He'd discovered from his time in Carbon Creek that if he stayed longer than a year the locals began to ask more questions and grow bolder in their interactions with him, feeling that the formalities of stranger-hood were done away with after such a length of time. He did not find these more intimate levels of social interaction to be disagreeable (unlike his counterparts back on Vulcan who most certainly would have), aside from the risk it posed towards his true nature; however, it was more efficient to avoid unnecessary entanglements if at all possible. He'd learned that such intimacies could prove cumbersome to extract himself from.

He still thought of Maggie on occasion, and was curious as to how Jack was faring in his studies, but had never made an effort to re-contact either individual once he'd left the town a few months after T'Mir and Stron had returned to Vulcan with the rescue vessel; that was four years ago. Since that time, Mestral had been able to gather enough data from his daily interactions with humans to now know that such behavior was not common, except for a certain "type" of person that he'd heard called: a drifter. While he did not see any similarities between himself and the more common stereotypical traits of such individuals, Mestal had at least once wondered if Maggie now reflected on him in such a fashion. Through Maggie he'd been able to glimpse more closely the emotional workings of human females (and in the years since he'd not attempted to grow close to any other females emotionally or physically; her few kisses and touches had been experiment enough for him) and Jack had also presented to him many opportunities to observe the emotional and physical changes adolescent humans go through in their growth process.

"Hey, hey buddy," Mestral looked to his left and saw a tall man (no more likely an adolescent) waving at him as he came closer, "are you Mister Mestral?"

"I am." Mestral turned to face the human fully. "Are you my contact for the Yew Valley Farm?"

The adolescent pushed back the hat upon his tawny haired head (Mestral believed it was commonly called a cowboy hat) to reveal more of his forehead, "I'm Jessup." He held out his hand and Mestral quickly responded with a firm handshake approximately two seconds in length with three equal pumps up and down (he understood quite well by now that to refuse such a gesture was seen as rude and often caused unnecessary questions). "I'll be your bunk mate for the rest of the summer before I head back east for school. Is that all your gear?" He pointed to Mestral's suitcases. Mestral nodded. "You pack light. Well come on, the pickup is over here. We've still got a few hour's drive ahead of us. Most likely won't get there until right about sundown. I already picked up the supplies Miss Jodi needed but is there anything you'd like to get before we head out to the ranch?"

Mestral shook his head, "I am sufficiently prepared for our journey."

The youth eyed Mestral's bags for a moment before he shrugged and gestured for Mestral to follow him. They walked for about a block before they came upon the "pickup" Jessup had earlier spoken about. Mestral had not yet ridden in one of these vehicles, though the further west he'd traveled the more he'd seen of them. He found the design to be efficient for work that required hauling of materials and was therefore not surprised that this was the vehicle that Jessup was driving.

"Just toss your gear in the back with the other stuff." Jessup called from across the back of the truck prior to entering the vehicle on the driver's side.

Mestral placed his suitcases in between two wooden crates, thereby sheltering them from the elements and ensuring that they would not accidentally bounce out of the vehicle if they encountered rough roads. He too entered the vehicle then and reached for the safety belt. He paused and looked over to Jessup in question when he found that there was no such belt.

"Oh Hank, the foreman, got tired of it always getting in the way whenever we all had to pile in here on our fence checks so he took it out." Jessup ignited the engine and put the vehicle into gear. "Don't worry. I've been driving since I could barely walk. You're in good hands."

Mestral nodded and resisted the urge to hold onto the door of the vehicle when the youth shot out of the parking space and into oncoming traffic.

* * *

Jodi closed the barn door and wiped her hands on the sides of her pants. Hank was right about the heifer; they'd need to get the vet out there as soon as possible if they wanted to save her. It was just past calfing time and the poor girl hadn't come through the season very well. Jodi hated this part of ranching; losing a part of her herd always felt like she was losing a part of her family. Her father had always teased her for getting too attached to the herd, warning her that accidents happened and sales also had to happen and that it'd be best to not go around naming everything with four legs and big ol' eyes. Jodi smiled at the memory of her father and shook her head. He'd most likely have only shook his head to know that this particular heifer was named Nancy.

She looked up then when she saw the headlights of a vehicle pull onto the long drive that lead to the main house. Most likely it was Jessup with the supplies and their new cowhand. There were right on time, at least right on the projected time Jodi had estimated they'd arrive after Jessup got a somewhat late start to his trip. It was a shame to lose Jessup but she was happy that he was pursuing his dream out east. Ranching may have been in his family for generations but he felt destined for greater things and he had the gumption to pursue the education he needed to achieve those things. Jodi would not begrudge the kid that passion or drive. She was just glad that he would be able to train in the new cowhand before he left. It wasn't always easy getting new cowhands at this time of year, especially not this far out of Great Falls, but Jessup's grandfather's sister's cousin's…Jodi shook her head. She couldn't remember what the connection was but Jessup trusted the connection and the man the connection had recommended. After working with Jessup for close to four years now, Jodi trusted Jessup's judgement.

She rechecked the latch on the barn then headed towards the main house. The sun was just starting to sink on the horizon. It was her favorite part of the day. The fields were bathed in an amber light and while one side of the sky was lit with a myriad of oranges, pinks, and yellows, the other was darkening into velvety blues, purples and black. The end of another productive and long day. The muscles in her arms and upper back were just tight enough to remind her that she'd done some good, hard labor earlier in the day, and her mind was at ease in such a way as to let her know that she'd accomplished everything on her to-do list. Jodi smiled as she knocked the dirt off her boots on the edge of the porch steps. She'd sleep well tonight.

She was just coming around the corner of the porch to the main entrance when Jessup parked. Illah May and Dirk were already coming towards the truck ready to unload the supplies. Jessup hopped out and gave Jodi a wave before he turned to talk to Dirk. Jodi nodded to the kid then turned her attention to the other figure emerging from the truck. She first noticed that he was tall, taller than Jessup and Jessup was the tallest of the ranch hands, and broad shouldered; he didn't quite have the bulk of Kelly but she was certain that this man could hold his own in regards to strength. Next she noticed that his head was covered with a knit cap, an accessory Jodi found a might strange given the heat of this time of year, but the rest of his clothing matched the description Jessup had earlier given her (and that he'd received from his grandfather's sister's…whatever): a neat and durable button-down shirt (according to Jessup's contact the man cycled through about three of these shirts, all alike in design and style), khaki trousers, and durable work boots.

Jodi watched as he pulled two suitcases from the back of the truck and set them down near the front tire. His eyes moved across the rest of the spacious front yard, from the truck over towards the barn and then towards the closest bunkhouses, but did not move his gaze in her direction. Seemingly satisfied with his perusal, he then moved towards Dirk, Jessup, and Illah May. The fact that he was already offering to help them, prior to making her acquaintance, was commendable in her mind. She'd thankfully had only ever had to fire one ranch hand in her time as "the boss" while all the others who'd come through had proven trustworthy and true. It was comforting to have what looked to be another such fellow arrive now.

She'd been blessed to have the respect of her men, given readily to her from the reputation of her family, her grandfather, and so on. Her family had been an established presence in this valley for many years and any who applied to work for the ranch had no doubt that she knew what she was doing and gender was not an issue. Typically speaking, though, gender rarely was an issue in these parts. The elements could get so harsh sometimes that a person was damned lucky to have a partner, male or female, to cover their back and keep them alive. Jodi had always liked that part of the culture of her hometown, having had the opportunity to travel further abroad than most in her peer group she could compare it to many other cultures. She was one of those who'd gone out to see the world out of curiosity and then come back home for a contented existence, rooted to the same spot. When she listened to some of the women in town, whenever she happened to get there, she'd find herself unable to relate to many of them with their desires for this or that. Perhaps she'd grown too practical in her years of running the ranch.

The small group finished unloading the truck and Jodi nodded to herself before moving back around the corner to the side entrance. She wanted to clean up at least a little before she met the newcomer. She always liked to look professional when meeting newcomers; having the grime of a long day on her clothes and face was perhaps professional looking for a ranch owner, and a sight they'd most often see, but she'd prefer the first impression to be a clean one.

* * *

Mestral nodded once more to Kelly, the other "bunk mate" Jessup had introduced to him, before the large man turned and went back towards the bunkhouse. He'd been on the premises for an hour, aiding the process of unloading supplies and setting them in their proper places. In that time Jessup had introduced him to five other individuals who worked on the ranch: two were kitchen workers, and the other three were employed as wranglers (the men responsible for training the horses of the facility). The total number of ranch hands numbered close to twenty, with the majority living on the premises in the bunkhouses or the main house, depending upon their daily duties. As time passed and Jessup continued to talk animatedly with his hands and vocal inflections, it appeared that the youth was most eager to acquaint Mestral with the many comings and goings of the place in one sitting. Mestral found his energy and enthusiasm most fascinating.

"Jessup." Mestral turned towards the source of the voice, the youth at his side doing the same. A woman clothed in a dark shirt and blue trousers stood at the entrance to the kitchen where they'd just finished their work. She was taller than the average human female he'd encountered, her complexion also darker than her peers back east (most likely due to her hours outdoors). Her hair was of a reddish hue, long, and in a fashion he'd understood to be called "braided." Although she had her arms crossed over her chest, a stance Mestral had learned to be one of defiance or displeasure, it appeared that she was trying not to smile. "Just when were you going to introduce our new cowhand to me?"

"Oh sorry Miss Jodi." Jessup took off his hat and held it with both hands in front of his body. "I guess I got carried away telling him about Yew Valley." He gestured towards Mestral. "Miss Jodi this is Mister Mestral. Mister Mestral this is Miss Jodi Madsen, the owner of Yew Valley Farm."

Mestral had learned that in regards to human females it was best to wait to see if they would offer their hand for the customary handshake. Some women refrained, and these women were typically of a more delicate nature than those who partook of the custom. Handshaking had been fascinating enough to learn to do with males but with females it had proven more demanding upon his shielding to adjust to. This woman silently closed the few feet between them and held out her hand. Mestral shielded his emotions more carefully when he took her hand and repeated the same routine as he'd done earlier with Jessup. He had learned to not look at the gesture in the connotations as it would stand within his own culture, that would be illogical to do in this time and place, but there was a part of him that still pulled back whenever he had to make the gesture with a female. He never tried to pry into what others were feeling whenever they touched him, it was not his place, but there were times when a small increment of emotion would move past his shields. He was even more careful in regards to touching females, as on a generalized scale it seemed that their emotional barriers were easier to glean more readily than males. Though their handshake was efficient and brief, Mestral had a brief movement of emotion within his mind that he knew had come from the woman: a different form of contentment than that which he was used to, and not disagreeable in the slightest.

"A pleasure to have you here at Yew Valley Farm, Mister Mestral." The woman smiled again, though not a large toothy smile that many humans were apt to offer. It was smaller but no less an indication of welcome. "I hope the trip wasn't too taxing for you."

Mestral gave a nod, "Though the journey was indeed long it was not overly arduous." He paused then offered. "You appear to have an efficiently run facility Miss Madsen. I thank you for including my service amongst your people."

"Not a problem, Mister Mestral." Her smile returned, though this time the quality of it had changed. Mestral was not yet a scholar of human emotions but it seemed that the woman was amused by his words. He would have to think on that later. He had been told before that the manner in which he conversed appeared formal to most humans. Perhaps this was another instance of that. "Have you eaten yet?"

"I have not Miss Madsen."

She turned to Jessup and Mestral saw that her expression was one of displeasure but not anger. "And when were you going to feed our new cowhand, Jessup?"

The youth's cheeks reddened in what Mestral knew to be a reaction of embarrassment, "Right away Miss Jodi." He disappeared into the adjoining room of the kitchen where the other two kitchen workers had previously gone.

"You can follow me into the dining room Mister Mestral." He looked back towards the woman to see that she was already leaving the room, fully expectant on his following. "We'll be more comfortable there."

Mestral followed, taking in the details of all the decorative objects adorning the walls of the corridor they passed through. Judging by the number of objects (pictures, stuffed animal carcasses, decorative blankets, and more) and the variety of their aged conditions, Mestral would venture that this house and the ranch itself was quite old by human standards.

"Yew Valley Farm has been here for over a hundred years." The woman spoke over her shoulder, as if she'd been aware of his thought pattern. "It had been passed through the Madsen family from father to son up until I came along." They arrived at the dining room and she gestured for him to sit at one end of an elongated table while she moved to sit around the corner from him. "My parents were unable to have more than me so it was only natural that I inherited it. My uncles have their own places and none of my aunts or their boys were interested." She folded her hands in front of her, resting them on the cool surface of the table, and Mestral mimicked her position. He had grown accustomed to the human tendency for full disclosure of life events upon first acquainting themselves. "Life out here can be quite isolated and harsh, just like the land. Each day is long and hard and not for the faint of heart. There are just as many sacrifices that must be made as there are rewards for those very sacrifices." She grew quiet, her eyes studying him. "Do you believe you have what it takes to remain here Mister Mestral? Are you acquainted with long work days and hard labor, harsh weather, and abrupt difficulties?"

Mestral nodded without hesitation, "I am well acquainted with living in a harsh environment." He would not explain the deserts and molten rivers of his home planet. "Hard labor, as you call it, is not a detriment to me either. Indeed, I find that I prefer staying active with variations in my daily duties. I believe, through my previous places of employment, that I have been adequately prepared for my service at Yew Valley Farm."

The woman continued to study him, her eyes narrow though her face showed no signs of disbelief or displeasure. He knew that some humans were more skilled at observing the behaviors of their peers and were therefore better judgements of what humans called "character." This woman sitting across from him appeared to be one such individual. She also did not appear to be as animated or given to emotional displays as her peers either. Of course he would have to refrain from too hasty a judgement in that regard. He'd learned sometime before that humans had a fascinating ability to shift from highly emotional to near absence of all emotion within the span of hours if not minutes.

"What of your family Mister Mestral?" She asked then. "You will not be able to return to them for the better part of each year while you're here and even then you've already become acquainted with how much effort goes into traveling beyond the borders of my land."

Mestral bowed his head for the briefest of moments before he returned the woman's direct gaze with one of his own, "I have no family to return to Miss Madsen therefore that will also not become a detriment to my service."

She appeared surprised by his response but was unable to reply by the arrival of Jessup. He'd earlier told Jessup of his inability to eat meat when the youth had offered some "jerky" as a between meal sustenance. The youth had found it ironic that a vegetarian had sought to work on a cattle ranch; Mestral also found the location and circumstances to be of an unusual order. The woman did not eat although she did partake of a hot tea beverage while she continued to interview him. Mestral did not find the questions illogical or invasive and so felt no discomfort as he answered them, in between the moments that she allowed him the silence to eat.

* * *

Jodi kept her questions to a minimum after the arrival of food and Jessup. Jessup plopped himself down beside Mestral and pipped up with some questions and answers of his own while Jodi continued to casually interview Mestral. While the newcomer was not the friendliest of individuals, she could find no sense of evasion or deceit in his answers. His mannerisms were precise, she noted, but lacked effusive warmth. In comparison to Jessup, this lack was even more apparent. The boy had always been an animated talker and rarely sat still. This man Mestral, in contrast, only moved when necessary and even then his movements were exact. She couldn't help but wonder if he'd done some time with the military; they often churned out strict, precise fellows. The veterans that poured through town, whenever she was there, were of suck ilk.

She also noticed that Mestral had requested no meat and had used his fork and knife to cut through the bread roll that'd been on his plate. Most peculiar, as was the fact that he'd not removed his cap even while indoors, but not alarming. Perhaps he was not American by birth, mayhaps Canadian, and had not yet lost the habits of his homeland. It had been surprising to hear that he'd had no family to visit, especially for a man of his age and looks, but it was in her favor if this was true. She wouldn't have to worry about losing another cowhand at the holidays (and a small part of her brain took pleasure in finding out that such a handsome man wouldn't make her feel guilty when she stared at him since he was single).

"Jessup will help you get settled in the bunkhouse." Jodi walked the men to the kitchen door after they finished their meal. "Don't be afraid to ask him questions or tell him to slow down when he's explaining something." She gave Jessup a sidelong glance and smiled when she saw him blush in response. She turned her attention back to the newcomer. "Sleep well, Mister Mestral; tomorrow will be your first long day at Yew Valley Farm."

"Indeed Miss Madsen." He bowed his head to her and Jodi smiled. It was another peculiar thing that he did. The formality of his speech and mannerisms, as if he'd stepped through time. "May you also have adequate sleep."

He picked up the suitcases he'd left near the kitchen door sometime prior and, moving off the porch, disappeared out of the light of the kitchen with Jessup at his side. Jodi closed the door. He was a strange man but she welcomed his eccentricity. His presence was needed on the ranch in regards to work, but Jodi already felt a kinship with him. His speech betrayed higher education and while most of the other ranch owners had good education, those with higher degrees were few. Jodi had managed to graduate college and had gotten at least a year of graduate work under her belt before her father's health had gotten too bad. It would be nice to have someone else around with whom she could discuss higher level subjects than just ranching.

As she settled between the cool sheets of her bed, the house around her silent and near empty aside from Illah May and her husband Dirk, she admitted to another reason why she was glad for his presence. She'd known her ranch hands for many years now and among those that were still single she had never been attracted. None of the neighboring ranches had much to offer by way of single males her age either (not that she was old but being 32 and single was odd for this area). While she had no intention of romantically pursuing this Mestral, she knew next to nothing about him anyway, it would be nice to have a handsome face around upon which she could harmlessly project the girlish fantasies she still kept locked away inside.

Jodi rolled over and fell asleep then. Her dreams that night filled with images of her daily life but now, mixed in amongst those images, was the voice of the newcomer.


	2. Stitches

_I hope you enjoy this update. I only own the OC while Mestral and Star Trek belong elsewhere._

* * *

The two months, three weeks, four days, eight hours, and thirty-seven minutes that had passed since his arrival at Yew Valley Farm had been most intriguing. Mestral had learned much about the intricacies of running a ranch from Jessup and the other ranch hands and felt sufficiently trained to work without his mentor now that Jessup had returned east for his education. He had yet to perform a job on his own but that was not because the others felt him unable to do so; the majority of the duties vital for a ranch required the work of two or more individuals. Mestral preferred the jobs that required fewer fellow workers but he found that the presence of the others was wholly not disagreeable or trying to his nature. He did not have to evade invasive questions here near as much as he did back east. His fellow workers appeared to be content with whatever answer he gave them when they did inquire after his opinion or his past and rarely if ever attempted to pry further.

The majority of the humans that he'd encountered on the ranch were much less animated than their eastern counterparts, leading Mestral to wonder if the isolation of the ranch and less social stimulation outside of their own niche caused this. They rarely interacted with the ranch owners or ranch hands of neighboring ranches (given the fact that their closest neighbor was still some distance away) and thus were left much to themselves. Because of this there appeared to be more stability in the relationships and expectations each human put upon their peers than Mestral had experienced before.

That was not to say that his fellow ranch hands were not wholly without a sense of jocularity. Indeed his first few weeks at the ranch had been filled with what Jessup had called "initiation pranks." Most of the incidents had been tolerable and minor but one particular incident had caused him discomfort. Some of the ranch hands had absconded with his clothing whilst he was bathing. He always took great precaution to bathe when the others were not around, either in the very early morning hours or in the night after the others had already retired, and yet they had become aware enough of his routine to wait.

He'd discovered the lack of clothing with almost immediate understanding that this was yet another "initiation prank." Given the late hour of the day he had not given much thought to his safe return to the bunkhouse without being seen in the nude by others; rarely did anyone from the main house (which was where the few women on the compound lived) stray far from their quarters at this hour. After he'd rearranged his hair (in need of the attention of a barber, though he could not afford to expose himself to one) to cover his ears he'd left the bathhouse. It was then that he'd felt some discomfort. Miss Madsen had apparently been visiting the bunkhouses during the time he'd been bathing and he met her on her return to the main house. The darkness offered much by way of covering his nudity, though the lights from the main house behind him would have allowed her some detailed study if she'd chosen to do so.

Mestral knew that humans were much more sensitive in regards to nudity than Vulcans and had therefore not been surprised when, after the initial shock had worn off, Miss Madsen had covered her eyes, muttered repeated apologies, and then ran to the main house without waiting for an explanation from him. Upon his arrival at the bunkhouses the other ranch hands had looked like they had been shedding tears (a strange occurrence that often times accompanied moments of extreme amusement within humans) and Jessup explained that they had seen the whole incident. Beyond that night no one mentioned the incident, especially not Miss Madsen, and the "initiation pranks" had ended.

Aside from their gambits of mischief, all of his fellow ranch hands were proficient and dutiful with their responsibilities. There appeared to be no underlying current of animosity betwixt the men, neither was there a jostling for hierarchical power that Mestral had come to associate with many masculine vocations on this planet. From his keen observations, the ranch operated on a hierarchy of its own and each ranch hand knew well his or her part in the proper running of the facility. The few times there had been a relational mishap, the result of too much drink after the evening meal or in response to a crisis while out on a job, the matter had been quickly and efficiently solved between the foreman Hank, Miss Madsen, and whichever ranch hands had perpetrated the matter.

His quick reflection upon Miss Madsen gave him some pause. During the two months of his work on the ranch she had not attempted to hide her increased preferential treatment towards him. She did not pay him more currency nor did she give him extra privileges, if she did then Mestral believed some of the other ranch hands would find this unacceptable. Instead, she would invite him to sit with her after the evening meal (they all came together to eat in the evenings, much like the clan families would on Vulcan) and she would draw him into discussions on various matters: politics, history, humanity, gender issues, and more recently the merits of logic and reasoning versus empathy. He found these interactions to be most pleasant and often found himself, during his meditations, pondering what his response would be to an unfinished question from the night before. Sometimes the other ranch hands would stay and offer their opinions but most often it would just be Miss Madsen and himself exchanging what he felt to be pleasant discourse in the evening hours.

The woman herself was also aesthetically pleasing and based upon her physical reactions to his presence Mestral knew that she found his appearance pleasing as well. She would touch her hair and neck more often while he was around, the reddish hue that accompanied feelings of embarrassment was often on her cheeks or neck whenever he spoke to her, her smile would come more readily and broaden wider than when others elicited such a reaction, her voice would deepen in pitch and he'd noticed on more than one occasion that her pupils would dilate whenever he stood close (though he did not seek to stand close very often). He'd not had the opportunity to study such details of the human female reaction to a male's presence this closely before; in Carbon Creek, his times with Maggie had always had the added diversion of trying to contact Vulcan in mind and he had not had previous encounters with humans with which to compare her responses to him. In his time on earth since then, he'd observed the interactions of both genders, as well as their courting methods, and so he could now recognize the early signs of what the humans called "attraction."

Mestral was not about to follow through with his curiosity in regards to Miss Madsen though. The human kiss he'd shared with Maggie had been the only physical intimacy he'd shared with a human female and he'd not attempted to repeat the process in the past four years. The physical act of kissing, as humans did, had not been unpleasant but in the years since Carbon Creek he'd not encountered another human female with which he'd found himself drawn to with an interest in repeating the gesture. Miss Madsen, however, had captured his intrigue and on at least one occasion he'd found himself curious over whether or not she'd be reciprocal to such a physical interaction. Such curiosities were not to be pondered long though, Mestral well knew. He did not want jeopardize the opportunity that he had here on Yew Valley Farm: to study humans in an entirely new fashion and environment; nor did he want to endanger the contented warmth he had thus far received from Miss Madsen.

"Hey Mestral!" Mestral looked up from his work (hammering in a new fence post) to see Hank approaching. "I don't know why you keep insisting on doing this by yourself." The middle aged human stopped once he was beside Mestral. "Just wait until I'm done getting a drink will ya?" His voice denoted a tone of voice Mestral recognized as frustration.

Mestral knew that by human standards the fence posts were heavy, though not impossible for a lone man of strength to lift. Moving them into position and hammering them solid was perhaps the most difficult part of the process as it required good balance and dexterity. The ranch hands always paired off to repair the fences and Mestral obliged this routine. His partner on this day was Hank and while Hank had felt the desire to pause for a brief respite and drink Mestral had felt no inclination. He'd continued on working and in the time Hank had rested he'd managed to finish one post by himself and had moved to work on another.

"I meant no disrespect in my continuing Mister Hank." Mestral loosened his hold on the hammer when Hank reached for it. "I merely thought that if I continued we would be finished with this portion of the pasture more readily."

"Ah hell Mestral I know you didn't mean any disrespect." Hank pulled off his hat momentarily in order to wipe his brow the sleeve of his shirt. "Just makes me feel damn old when you keep working like that."

Mestral understood that most ranchers did not live long lives (in comparison to Vulcans, no human did), due to the exertion required within the harsh elements. Hank was not old by Vulcan standards at age 53 but by ranching standards he was approaching the end of middle-age. He also knew that most of his peers thought he was somewhere between 30 and 35 years old, Jessup and Kelly had played a game in regards to his age.

Mestral made no further comment in regards to Hank's age or the work but followed alongside his companion for some time after. They worked mostly in silence, one reason that Mestral preferred working with Hank over the other ranch hands. They were just starting to string the barbed wire between the fence posts when they heard the approach of another vehicle. They both looked up to see a green pickup approaching; it was Miss Madsen's vehicle. She often visited the ranch hands on the various jobs they were assigned, usually offering them food and beverage (Mestral had had to adjust to the common occurrence of being offered water and beverages by females on this planet) and sometimes bringing them news of more urgent jobs.

"Mestral!" Hank's panicked voice brought Mestral back from observing the approach of Miss Madsen's vehicle just in time to see the barbed wire begin to coil up, rushing in their direction. Hank had not secured it tightly enough on the previous post, and Mestral had not double checked his workmate's work. Mestral reached forward and jerked Hank to the side, twisting his body in the process, so that they would fall away from the fence line. A sharp pain erupting from his sensory nerves in his calf alerted him to the fact that he hadn't been fast enough in removing himself from danger.

* * *

The truck lurched from how quickly she shoved it into park. She was out of the truck and running towards Hank and Mestral within moments. She'd seen the wire slip off the post but had been unable to warn them. Thankfully Hank had noticed and Mestral had good reflexes otherwise there might've been need to visit the hospital, a good few hours away by truck.

"Are you two alright?" She asked as she came closer.

Hank was on his back staring at the sky, unharmed but a bit dazed, whereas Mestral was already sitting up and calmly attempting to disentangle his right leg from the mesh of coiled wire. The cowboy hat that had been on his head was on the ground by his side but the red bandana he kept tied around his head during the day was still firmly in place. Jodi winced as she watched Mestral pull at the wire with his gloved hands. Thankfully his trousers and the sleeves of his work shirt were thick and the wire had only wrapped itself around his lower calf and foot, the protection of the boot saving his foot.

"Hank, go get my med kit from the truck." Jodi held her hand out for Hank's gloves, which he quickly handed over, as she knelt down beside Mestral, the wire cutters that Hank had discarded in the fall in her hands. "Here, let me help." She leaned forward and began the tedious process of clipping through the various wires. She had to be careful to do so in a planned manner, she didn't want it to continue coiling the wire, ripping more of Mestral's trousers and flesh. Mestral remained silent as she worked, holding on to various wires when needed. He appeared to be handling the pain better than she would have; she'd been caught by coiling wire before and it'd hurt like hell. She remembered that she'd cried while her father had cut her loose. "There." She finished cutting the last wire and they watched as the wire continued to coil in on itself, forming a mass of metal by the far fence post. "Hank," her foreman had returned to her side, "you start fixing that heap while I see to Mister Mestral's injuries."

Hank handed her the med kit while she handed back the wire cutters and his gloves. She settled herself more comfortably beside Mestral and opened the kit. When she reached for his leg he evaded, prompting her to look at his face.

"I can see to my own injuries Miss Madsen. There is no need for your assistance."

Jodi narrowed her eyes at him, "I'm sure you have the capability to do so, Mister Mestral, however I would feel much better if you'd allow me." She again reached for his leg but he again evaded.

"I really must insist Miss Madsen. I do not believe the injuries are so significant that I require your attention."

"Perhaps you'd feel more comfortable with Hank's help then." She turned to call to Hank but she felt the slightest of touches on her shoulder and turned to see Mestral shake his head at the suggestion. "Mister Mestral," she clenched her teeth then, "if you do not allow me to look after your injuries then I will have you locked in your bunkhouse upon our arrival back at the main house. It is very easy to get an infection out here and even if the injury is minor it can quickly turn major without the proper preventative measures."

He looked ready to argue again but she moved without waiting for his response. She had his leg in her lap and was pulling his trousers up his calf before he could manage to reach for her shoulders to push her away again. Jodi gasped when she saw the large cut that ran parallel to his ankle, from the side of his calf clear around to the front. It would need stitches; if she pulled the edges of the cut further apart she'd probably glimpse bone and deep tissue. It was only after her initial inspection that she noticed his blood. She knew it was blood from the smell and yet the color was wrong. She looked back to Mestral's face. He appeared to be watching her closely, as if he was waiting for some sort of reaction from her.

"You see," she gestured to his cut, "you need stitches right away if we're going to stop the bleeding and keep the scarring to a minimum." She reached for her med kit. She'd have to do the stitches back at the main house but at least she could get the cut bandaged now and stop the bleeding. "I'll bandage it here but you'll be coming with me back to the main house for stitches." She looked back to his face and gave him a direct stare. "I'll have no arguments Mister Mestral."

"I understand Miss Madsen." He fell silent then, though she felt his eyes on her as she pulled out the bandage and began to wrap it around his calf. It wasn't until she finished the wrapping and had tied off the bandage that he spoke again. "A genetic difference in copper levels."

"Pardon?" She closed the med kit before giving him her attention again.

"The color of my blood is due to a genetic difference in copper levels. It is a very rare occurrence." She thought she saw a hint of a wry smile touch his lips when he finished his explanation.

"Ah." That made sense she supposed, at least she had no reason to contradict him. Her knowledge of human anatomy was mostly focused on how to keep a human body patched together and not all the oddities that can appear. "Come on now, let's get you to the truck." She reached for his arm and drew it around her shoulder. She sensed some initial hesitation from him before he finally gave into her stubborn insistence and allowed her to help him to his feet. He did not lean much on her as they moved to the truck but he did lean enough on her to reassure her that she'd made the right decision in helping him. "Wait here." She spoke once he was settled in the truck. She returned to Hank to explain the situation.

* * *

The ride back to the main house was mostly silent. Mestral had been somewhat surprised with how readily Miss Madsen had accepted his explanation for the color difference in his blood. He knew her to be a logical and reasonable woman and most likely, with no other cause but the one he'd offered, she'd found no reason to disbelieve him. She hadn't attempted to question him further on this matter either. The only things she'd said during their drive had been inquiring after his pain levels and telling him that he'd be working closer to the main house for a few days in order to allow his wound to heal more rapidly. He offered no protests. The decision was a logical one.

He had taken off his gloves in the truck, having no more pretense to keep them on, and so when she came around to help him into the house he'd taken great care to avoid touching her skin directly with his fingers. While she wore a long sleeved work shirt, the cloth had pulled away from her neck with his arm draped around her shoulders; if he hadn't been careful he would've touched her. Especially with his recent increase in curiosity over the woman, Mestral believed such an occurrence would prove detrimental to his objectivity.

She took him to the main lavatory and left him sitting on the commode while she fetched the proper supplies with which to dress his wound. He'd tried to persuade her to let him look after himself but she'd resisted again and he'd acquiesced. He knew well enough by now that when she set her mind on something there was very little that would dissuade her course. He'd not before been the object of such focused attention from her but now that he was he found her directness and intensity most alluring. She could have no knowledge of the implications such dedicated focus meant on Vulcan and yet, even though he knew this fact, he found himself drawn even more to her as a result.

"This is going to sting." She spoke as she approached him again, various supplies in her hands. She set the majority on the counter-space beside the sink and knelt down with a cleaning solution and cloth in hand. After looking him in the eyes for a moment she pressed the cloth against his wound. It did indeed "sting" as she'd warned and Mestral sucked in a breath through his teeth. He saw her expression change into one of empathetic discomfort. "I'm sorry." In spite of her apology she continued to clean his wound and the area around it. After the initial sting wore off, Mestral found the lingering tingle to be tolerable. "Thank you by the way."

Mestral raised an eyebrow, "Of what are you referring to? Should I not be the one thanking you for your service?"

"For pushing Hank out of the way." He saw that the reddish hue was once again in her cheeks and on her neck. Her ministrations did not falter though. "That was a very decent thing to do."

Mestral watched her long fingers pass over his skin, gently prodding at the wound in her efforts to clean it thoroughly. She hadn't yet touched him skin-to-skin for very long but whenever she did he felt an almost immediate trickle of emotion from her: concern and warmth. The reminder of being the focus of her attentions tugged at an element of his character that he kept buried. It was near the more primal urges every Vulcan felt during the fever and yet it was more bearable than they typically were. He knew he had nearly a year before his next fever and so did not equate this sensation with the fever. No, it was most likely connected to his already established curiosity with the woman as well as the mutual attraction.

"I merely reacted as any other would in a similar situation." He noted that his vocal quality had altered. It sounded deeper, even to his own ears. He saw the color on her cheeks darken in hue in response and he knew that if he saw her green eyes her pupils would have been dilated. "I am here to serve, Miss Madsen."

She looked up at him then, her expression one of surprise and interest. He wondered if it was in response to his words or to the situation. She maintained eye contact for a moment longer, during which Mestral again felt the stirrings deeper in his mind, before she shook her head and turned her attention to the rest of her supplies. Mestral was curious over this evasion response and filed it away for further study. He then watched as she readied a needle with thread. At his look she smiled, though it was not one of great humor.

"Don't worry, Mister Mestral. I've done this before. If you could help though, by holding the flaps close together."

Mestral leaned forward to comply. She continued to kneel, his leg propped up on the edge of the bathing tub beside the commode, her head bent over her work. He distracted himself from the prick and pain of the needle passing through his skin by observing the woman. He noticed on the side of her neck, close to her shoulder, she had a few spots where the pigment in her skin was altered (freckles he'd heard Jessup call them when he'd asked). Mestral closed his eyes and breathed in through his nose. The acrid smell of disinfectant was strong and yet underneath he could still detect her scent. It was earthy, very much a reflection of the environment that she lived in, but accompanying it was a floral quality. No doubt the cleansing agent she used on her hair or body. It was not overpowering; in fact, Mestral opened his eyes and forced himself to lean back when he noticed that he'd begun to lean closer, he found the scent heady.

"There." Her vocal quality had also deepened, Mestral noticed, by the time she finished her work and sat back on her heels. She tipped her head up and looked at him then, her eyes wide and the expression open, contemplative, and warm. Though her hands were in her lap, Mestral noticed that they were clasped together, as if to keep from moving back towards his leg again. Mestral felt stirred, drawn forward towards her. His curiosity rose to the surface of his mind and the tips of his fingers began to thrum with energy, the desire to touch them to the meld points on her face a sudden craving in his gut. She seemed to shake herself out of whatever thoughts had been preoccupying her mind and turned her attention to the medical supplies she still had yet to use. Mestral leaned back again, understanding quite well that he would need to meditate longer and more deliberately this evening over this instance.

As a further form of distraction from the intensity of the moment before, Mestral looked at the work she'd done and nodded, "You are indeed proficient with the needle, Miss Madsen." He saw her smile before she began to clean the area around his wound prior to dressing it with the bandage. "Where did you learn such skills?"

"Out here we have to be pretty self-sufficient. Doctors and vets can't always make it out this way, depending on the time of year and weather, so we find it best to be able to do some of the more simple things on our own." She tied off the end of the bandage and leaned back. "Now I know you won't completely heed my orders to stay off your feet if I let you leave the house so I've decided that you'll be helping Illah May and Dirk in the kitchens for the remainder of the day. Tomorrow we'll see how you're doing and discuss what you can do then."

Mestral nodded, "That is an acceptable decision Miss Madsen."

She continued to kneel by his side, studying him intently, before she sighed and stood. She began to pack up her supplies and spoke without looking at him. "If you head back there now you should be able to get in on the potato peeling process."

"Very well." He stood, waiting a moment in order to regain full equilibrium, and moved behind Miss Madson on his journey to the door. The area was narrow between her back and the wall behind her, and while Mestral attempted to get around her without touching her overly much it was unavoidable. Though the moment was brief, her back pressed against his chest and his thighs against her lower back and rear, he felt her tense in awareness. When he glanced at her face through the reflection on the mirror he did not see distaste or discomfort. Instead he watched her eyes close and her hands cease their movements, as if she was unable to continue while he was so close. Mestral found this response most intriguing and fought the urge to see what would happen if he remained in that position longer by pressing on and leaving her alone in the lavatory.

He was not wholly unaffected by the moment either, he noted by the slight elevation in his blood pressure. His intrigue was connected to his own desire to remain close to her. As he entered the kitchens and informed the two occupants of Miss Madsen's instructions, Mestral reminded himself that it would be unwise to follow through with his curiosities. Aside from her physical attraction towards him and her preferential treatment towards his intellectual presence, Mestral knew that to follow through with his curiosities would most likely lead to his dismissal from the ranch.

* * *

Jodi opened her eyes and stared at her reflection once Mestral left. She'd dressed and stitched countless wounds before but never before had she ever felt like this at the end of doing so. She knew it was in direct relation to the man himself; she'd never stitched up a man she was attracted to before. While she'd found Mestral handsome from the very beginning, his time on the ranch had darkened his skin tone to a ruddy olive hue and his once clean shaven face now bore a neatly trimmed goatee, both aids in making him most devilishly handsome now, and a damn temptation at that.

While she still enjoyed their nightly debates, often daydreaming throughout the day on what it was she'd say in response to one of his more challenging questions from the discussion before, they'd begun to take a toll on her sleep. Every night it seemed she was plagued with dreams of Mestral. At first the dreams had been innocent in theme: he'd merely be walking beside her in the fields or sitting near her on the porch during a sunset. But a few weeks ago they'd decidedly changed in nature. The branded image of his naked body—the result of an initiation prank—came back to haunt her subconscious mind. Instead of running to the house, her dream-self instead would step close to the man and touch him, running her hands along his chest, across his shoulders, and down his sides. His skin was always warm and firm, the muscles underneath bunched in tension as if he'd been holding himself back from reaching for her.

When he'd moved behind her just now, in order to leave the bathroom, she'd been reminded of her dream the night before. In it she'd touched him again, standing nude in the main yard, but then she'd turned to go back to the house. Instead of letting her leave, as her previous dreams had done, he'd stopped her by taking hold of her wrist and stepping close behind her. Their height difference was such that his chin was at her ear level. She'd woken up with a jolt after he'd leaned down just enough to draw the tip of her ear into his mouth. In the bathroom this evening she'd felt a shiver of déjà vu and had had to fight the desire to lean back into the man.

Poor Mestral. Jodi sighed as she finished packing up the supplies. He hadn't done anything untoward or remotely sexual and yet she was lusting after him like a teenager. She'd never really been given to strong sexual urges having grown up on an isolated ranch with all the men being more like father figures to her than crush-worthy, and she'd only barely experimented with the two "boyfriends" she'd acquired whilst she was away in college and grad school. These facts served as doubly frustrating to her now that she felt such strong urges now, so "late" in the game. She was unprepared and unused to such strong desires and quite frankly didn't know what to do about it. She'd never really liked touching herself to relieve the ache she got sometimes; she'd always felt strange doing that. But now when she woke with a strong, near alien (in its intensity and quality) ache in her body, especially between her legs, she wondered if she should start. Mestral was too good a man to deserve such base attentions and Jodi felt ashamed to admit the depth to which she felt attracted to him. Perhaps she'd been on the ranch too long and it was high time she went to town for a little socialization.


	3. A little altercation

_Thank you for the reviews, they've been lovely to read and I appreciate them greatly. I apologize in the lateness of the update. I have other stories that I'm working on, of vastly different genres, as well as outside work to contend with as well. Just to let you know, I went through the previous chapters and edited in a few more details here and there to give the characters added depth. It isn't necessary to re-read them but if you want to then enjoy! I also hope you enjoy this update. Please let me know if you have a request for a certain scene of interaction. Cheers!_

* * *

Jodi wasn't quite sure how they'd ended up like this as events had happened too quickly for her to keep track of what happened when and why, so if they were caught now and questioned she would honestly not be able to give a straight answer. Jodi glanced over to Mestral who, like herself, was crouched behind the lone metal dumpster in the dark alley, peering around the corners of it to see if they were being chased. He wasn't panting for air like she was, the man was entirely too fit for his own good she decided then, but he did seem to be on high alert and very aware of his surroundings. Jodi got the feeling that if she reached out now and only barely touched the skin of his neck (an area she'd long wanted to touch and linger on) he'd turn to her with eyes wide as if she'd slapped him. She wasn't sure how she knew this to be so but there was something about the way they interacted, a building up of awareness and kinship, that allowed her to feel this near instinctive notion towards the man.

"I believe our pursuer has taken an alternate route." His voice was calm and assured, sounding as if he never spoke a wrong word in his life. Jodi suppressed the desire to giggle. When Mestral's eyes turned towards her though, Jodi realized that her suppression tactics were perhaps misfiring a bit after all the wine she'd had at dinner. "Are you unwell Miss Madsen?"

Jodi nibbled on her lower lip in a stall tactic, attempting to regain her composure, "No, Mister Mestral, I am quite well. Perhaps a bit winded after our run though." She suddenly became aware of how close they were crouched as they were, their thighs pressed almost flush together, their shoulders brushing against one another as their bodies sought balance and equilibrium. Every place that her body touched his felt hotter than normal, as if the man himself was hotter than normal, or perhaps she was growing hotter than normal as a result of being near him. Jodi frowned. She remembered now why she typically didn't drink any alcohol. It made her dumb. "Are you okay?" She refocused her wandering attention on the man beside her and without meaning to she reached out and traced her fingers across his cheek, a green-tinted bruise already beginning to form from the altercation they'd narrowly escaped. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open on a breathless, "Oh," when in immediate response to her touch a near electric shock of awareness tingled through her fingertips and into the core of body. Desire, rage, fear, and yet more desire. The emotions were not her own and yet they were. She wanted to press her fingers harder against his skin, draw herself nearer to him, and would have done so, had Mestral not wrapped a hand around her wrist and (it seemed) hesitatingly pulled her hand away from his face.

She continued to stare at his shadowed features in stunned silence for a moment longer, during which she saw glimpses of emotions pass over his face. Was that truly desire or confusion? Or perhaps fear? Embarrassment? She couldn't quite put her finger on any one emotion, they flashed by too quickly in Mestral's eyes and in the lines around them, to get an accurate reading. Where his large, warm hand held onto her wrist she felt a vibrating heat radiate out into her skin. She'd never really held hands much growing up but she was certain that the few times she had didn't feel like this. It was as if her body was awakening only under his touch, the nerve endings thrumming with life only in the areas where his skin touched hers. It was a comforting tickle, almost arousing in fact, and wholly alien to her senses. Jodi couldn't help but want to explore more of what his touch could do to her, and in other areas too.

Mestral let go quickly and stood, causing Jodi's mind to swim momentarily in its attempt to keep up with his sudden change in proximity and position. He looked away from her after a spell and down the alley back towards the near deserted street. He stood silently watching the street while Jodi continued to crouch and silently watch him, until he seemed to be satisfied and looked back to her.

"We may return to our vehicle now." He shifted away and paused, as if waiting for Jodi to join him. She felt like an idiot but she had to admit that she felt glued to the spot, out of confusion and a sudden wave of desire for Mestral. It was strange, not unwelcome, but damn strange. Most likely sensing her hesitation as a type of fear Mestral moved back to her side and took a hold of her elbow, an area, Jodi noted, that was covered by her cardigan. As he began to help her out from behind the dumpster Jodi became more and more aware of how careful he was to avoid touching her skin and yet how he also seemed to be reluctant to be overly far from her side. It was a decidedly strange turn of events that led her to this awareness, and that had also led them to this cloak-and-dagger hiding. Jodi couldn't help but reflect on all the hours that had passed previously in an attempt to make sense of her current reality.

* * *

Over the three days Mestral spent working around the main house after his injury, he became quite aware of a change within Miss Madsen. Her speech was more halting in his presence and she did not appear to be as calm and assured as she had been before. She did not altogether avoid speaking with him or spending time with him, as they still did meet for their evening discourse, and yet Mestral was aware that the time she spent in his presence she would exhibit behavior that was "flustered," to use the word he'd heard Illah May use to describe Miss Madsen's new behavior when the cook had been speaking to her husband about it just the night before. It seemed that a few of the long-term ranch hands were also aware of the change in behavior that Mestral was but it seemed that no one could pinpoint what it was that had the usually confident woman in such "dire straits," to employ another phrase that he'd gleaned from Hank. As she'd made no attempt to discuss her behavior with him during their nightly discourse, and Mestral did not feel that it would be appropriate for him to broach the subject, he too was left to ponder what it could be that would have her so openly emotional where she'd been more balanced before.

"Hey Mestral," Mestral looked up from the saddle he'd been polishing in the work room adjacent the kitchen to see Hank in the door way, his hat held in front of his body like a shield, "could I ask you a question?"

Mestral raised an eyebrow, it was rare that someone would ask a question about asking a question, and in the few times that he'd been on the receiving end of such an inquiry Mestral had learned that this sort of phrase usually preceded a difficult request or confession. He gestured for Hank to come closer and offered the man the closest Vulcan semblance to a welcoming smile, though he knew to human eyes his facial expression would look much the same as it had before.

"How may I be of service Mister Hank?"

The man sat down on the work bench across from Mestral and setting aside his hat took hold of a polishing rag and began to work on a bridle. It was rare that Mestral ever saw the foreman sit still, except for when he smoked his pipe in the evening. "It's about Miss Jodi."

Mestral continued to work in silence, unsure of what Hank would ask him or request of him in regards to Miss Madsen. Hank knew her better than anyone else, as he'd worked with her father before he'd worked with her, and had seen much of her growth process. If anyone would know of what was bothersome to the woman it would be Hank. These facts caused Mestral to wonder why he would come to him, the newest member of the ranch, with a question or request in regards to the woman in question.

"I think you should keep an eye on her, Mestral." Hank didn't look up as he spoke. "She's going into town today and, well, this isn't a normal trip."

Mestral raised an eyebrow, "What defines a 'normal' trip if I may ask?"

"I mean it isn't to pick up supplies or take anyone to the hospital or anything in regards to the work and running of the ranch."

"Is Miss Madsen not allowed to come and go as she pleases, including but not limited to venturing into town if she chooses to do so without any pretense regarding the ranch?"

Hank looked up at him and blinked a few times before he shook his head. "Oh no that's not what I mean. She can go to town whenever she wants. She just doesn't." Hank dipped his polishing rag into the canister of polish and set to work again. "She's always been a strange one, that Miss Jodi. Even when she was a little one she'd always prefer to be on her papa's heels out in the fields with the cattle than in the house with her mama learning how to be a woman. Not to say that a woman can't be as Miss Jodi is, hell if you even breathed a whisper of that notion to my wife she'd tar and feather me. Understand what I mean?" Mestral merely nodded, though he was not as clear on the connections as he would have preferred. In his time with humans he'd learned that if you gave them the time they needed to express themselves fully, by the end of their explanations one would find the point that they'd meant to make ten minutes prior. Hank continued. "At school she always did presentations in class about what she'd do once she controlled the ranch, while the rest of the girls in class spoke about getting married and settling down. Now she never got in fights with the boys by trying to be a boy but she never caught their attention as a girl either. Both the boys and girls would treat her respectfully but far from warmly and, to my knowledge, she never had a close friend to bring home for Sunday lunch." Hank sighed and went back to polishing. "Her mama, rest her soul, always wondered if she'd ever see the girl married or settled. 'She's too independent, Hank. No one's going to want to marry a business book.' Because that's what it was all about for her, the ranch and its future. She eventually went to a fancy college in order to learn more modern ways of ranching, not so she could move away from here to start her own but so that she could improve the ranch and keep it thriving long after her folks were gone."

Mestral nodded again, only because he knew that this was how humans conveyed to one another that they were listening. It was an illogical movement, as proximity and eye contact should be sufficient to convey such a fact, but humans were ever in movement and so required movement so something as simple as listening.

"She's been a good woman, Mestral. Kind, smart, honorable. Never lied a day in her life no doubt."

Mestral looked up from his own polishing job to see Hank staring at him and so he responded, "Indeed. Miss Madsen is an exemplary woman of strong character."

"So you'll go to town with her today then?"

Mestral raised both eyebrows, "I am unsure of how the discussion of Miss Madsen's childhood and character are connected to her trip to town today."

"There's something in her bonnet, Mestral, something's stirred her up in ways I've never seen her stirred up before. I know she won't go looking for trouble because she's not the type, but the way she's all strung up with her emotions right now, well Mestral I've a feeling that trouble will find her. None of the boys or I are able to go with her today because of the herd, and Illah May would skin me alive if I suggested she go, not with the county fair coming up and her reputation as having the best berry preserves at stake."

"You desire for me to accompany Miss Madsen to town and act as a chaperone to her activities while she is there?"

Hank drew back and let out a short, shrill whistle. "You don't need to make it sound like that Mestral. I've seen the way you two gravitate towards each other like kindred spirits or two peas in a pod." Mestral raised an eyebrow, uncertain what the euphemisms meant in their entirety but certain that he understood enough to ascertain a bit of the meaning; he found the man's observation most intriguing. "She trusts you and likes you. Having you along might be just the thing she needs. So no don't go as her chaperone. Go as her friend."

Mestral nodded, clear on the man's intention but unclear on all of his points of logic and reasoning. "I will accompany Miss Madsen to town, if that is what you believe she needs me to do. Is she aware of this plan and is amiable towards it?"

"Well," Hank looked away, "I haven't told her yet but I'll tell her before you two leave. I know she may not seem 'amiable' towards the idea right away but don't worry she'll warm up to it once you're on your way."

Mestral would not have used the word "amiable" to describe the reaction the woman had to his presence when he arrived at the appointed time of departure. At first he'd paused near the front door, uncertain if it was indeed Miss Madsen leaning against the green pickup truck. This woman wore an aesthetically pleasing knee-length dress of pink and purple floral design with a tan button-down covering over what looked to be thin straps at her shoulders. Her hair was loose aside from a lone silver and black flower shaped pin that she'd used to pull back some hair on one side of her head. After his momentary pause Mestral realized that there was no other woman that it could be and so recovered himself before she'd turned her gaze in his direction. When he'd come nearer, her eyes finally watching his approach, he'd smelled that same floral scent that he'd picked up in the bathroom, except this time he couldn't smell the usual earthy tones that had oft accompanied her. It was all floral and feminine and Mestral found himself unsure which he preferred, if he'd been asked that is.

"Hank tells me that you want to come to town to explore a bit, seeing as you haven't been to town since you got here." Her arms were crossed and she hadn't moved from her original leaning position against the vehicle.

Mestral raised an eyebrow at her words and less than cordial actions but did not deny Hank's reasoning for Mestral's presence on this trip, and possibly putting the man in a difficult position with Miss Madsen. He instead leaned forward and took hold of the door lever that was positioned near her hip. He heard her breathing change momentarily and found that his own altered slightly as well. It was a simple act, coming into her "personal space," and yet it made them both more aware of one another's proximity. A most fascinating response that Mestral noted in both Miss Madsen as well as himself and he found himself again wanting to pursue that line of questioning until he found the source.

He however pulled the door open and gestured for her to enter the vehicle, saying, "It would be a pleasant diversion to see more of the town that is true." He knew that she'd want to drive, especially since she'd originally intended on going alone to town. "May I say that you look most appealing today, Miss Madsen."

He saw the red tint travel up her neck, starting at the neckline of her dress and traveling upwards to her cheeks. He noticed then that one of the reasons why he hadn't readily recognized her as Miss Madsen was because she was showing far more skin than what he'd ever seen her show before. Even on Sundays when the majority of the ranch traveled together to the local church and she wore dresses, they did not reveal as much as this one did. It was far from what Mestral would deem inappropriate, given the general trends of society, but it was again one of the reasons he'd had to pause earlier.

Before he moved away he saw her suck her lower lip into her mouth and seemed to chew on it for a moment before she offered him a smile and a hurried, "Thanks." She moved past him then and got into the vehicle. He closed the door and moved to the other side to enter the vehicle himself. His movements were slower than normal, due to his injury, but he found that so long as he elevated his leg at night it didn't pain him overly much during the day. She waited until he was settled, the seatbelt clicked into place, before she began to drive away from the ranch house.

They drove in silence for some time before Mestral broke it with, "My injury is healing rapidly and I should be fit for regular duties within two days."

"Oh?" Miss Madsen didn't take her eyes off the road and it was a curious thing to see but it looked like she began to grip the wheel a little tighter than necessary. "That's good to hear. I'm sure Hank will appreciate having an extra pair of hands out there getting everything ready for the county fair."

Mestral looked away from her hands and back out to the passing scenery. He hadn't noticed before how long her fingers were. When she'd been working over his injury he'd been more aware of her closeness and her scent and the details of the length of her fingers had alluded him then. He knew her hands were strong, they would have to be from the type of work she did every day, and yet they still retained a quality of what Mestral knew humans considered feminine softness.

"I have never been to a county fair before." He interrupted his own musings with his comment. "Does this event happen often?"

"You've never-" She finally looked at him, her expression one of surprise, before she let out what sounded to Mestral like an airy chuckle and turned her eyes back to the road. "You've led a most sheltered and unfortunate life, Mister Mestral, if you've never been to a county fair. Yes, they happen regularly, typically once if not twice a year, depending on which county you're in. Ours is the biggest in the state actually, and people come from hundreds of miles around to be a part of it."

Mestral heard the confident quality he'd grown used to hearing in her voice return as she spoke of the county fair. He continued to ask her questions about what sorts of things he would see at the fair, what preserves were and why Illah May would be so worried about her reputation with them, and other such questions that he knew she would find comfortable talking about. By the time they arrived in the city of Great Falls Miss Madsen was more relaxed and seemed at ease with his presence once more. Mestral was not any the wiser of what it was that had gotten into her "bonnet" as Hank as earlier stated and so kept his senses on high alert to any signs of a change in behavior dependent upon their change in environment.

After they departed from their vehicle and began to walk along the main street of the city she asked him what he'd like to see. Mestral looked around and paused. He had little knowledge of what exactly one saw when they came to the city aside from what he was currently seeing. The question made very little sense and he was sure there was a deeper meaning to it than he had yet grasped.

"Are you interested in going to any of the museums or the little art gallery that we have?" Mestral looked back down to his companion, understanding finally coming to him with her follow-up question. She was asking if he had any place in particular that he would appreciate visiting. "Do you need to buy anything from the department stores?"

Mestral shook his head, "I am in no need of supplies. I accompanied you to the city in order to merely accompany you, Miss Madsen, I have no ulterior motive."

He watched her eyes narrow and her hands were suddenly on her hips in a gesture that Mestral now understood to mean "trouble," or so Jessup had described such a movement when Mestral had asked him about it after seeing Illah May do it in response to something her husband had said. "What do you mean 'merely to accompany you'? Did you or did you not tell Hank that you wanted to see more of the city?"

Mestral realized that perhaps he should have not been as forthright with his earlier response as he had been as now he'd done exactly what he'd hoped to avoid: gotten Hank into "trouble" with Miss Madsen.

"I did not indicate to Hank that I wanted to see more of the city." He maintained eye contact with her and watched as her narrowed eyes widened. "But I am most agreeable to seeing more of it with you accompanying me now."

"Mister Mestral, did Hank ask you to come with me today?"

"Yes, he did. However, Miss Madsen, he did so out of concern for you. It seems that he has felt that something has been perturbing your emotional balance and that my accompanying you into town today might serve to quiet this imbalance."

She continued to stare at him with wide eyes for a moment longer before she said something quietly. To human ears it would not have been audible but Mestral clearly heard the words, "Son of a bitch," and couldn't help but wonder why Miss Madsen would use such language in regards to her foreman. Only a year after he'd been on earth Mestral had realized how important it was to acquaint himself with the colorful euphemisms that humans used in their conversations, both positive and negative. That was the only reason why he now knew that Miss Madsen was not accusing Hank of being the offspring of a female dog.

"If you would prefer to be alone, Miss Madsen, then I will await your return near the vehicle. I believe I saw a restaurant across from where we parked where I could comfortably wait." She looked back up to him and Mestral tried to indicate with his expression the earnestness of his words. "I do not wish to further disquiet your temperament Miss Madsen. I wish to be of service and if that is done by acquitting your side then I will do so."

* * *

Jodi continued to curse Hank up one hill and down another in her mind even as she looked up at Mestral's earnest face. He really did want to help her feel better and didn't seem any the wiser as to the ulterior motives of her foreman's actions. Oh she knew EXACTLY why Hank had asked Mestral to come with her to town. The damned man knew that it was Mestral who had her "perturbed" and out of emotional balance. He'd come out and asked her about it only the day before when he'd seen her near run away from the side of the house when she'd seen Mestral remove his work shirt (only to thankfully reveal an undershirt beneath) in order to clean off the paint one of the other ranch hands had dribbled on it. When Hank had challenged her to act on her interest she'd scoffed at his suggestion and had stormed away, thinking that the older man would leave well enough alone. But she could and also couldn't believe that he'd gone this far, manipulating an innocent bystander (who just happened to be the victim of her misguided fantasies) into coming with her to town when the whole point of coming to town was to escape such fantasies, and said innocent bystander.

"No Mister Mestral." Jodi finally found her voice, and it was thankfully even enough to not convey the immense frustration she felt towards Hank. "I don't want you to stay with the truck. I'm just a little bit frustrated with Hank right now." That was the understatement of the year. "He should've told me the truth."

"I apologize that I too was not more forthright with you, Miss Madsen."

"Oh please," Jodi waved away his apology, "you have been the most honest and forthright man in this situation." She sighed and shook her head, taking a moment to recall her more rational sensibilities. "Now then, since you don't have any clue as to what you want to see and do while we're here, because it wasn't even your idea to come," she gave her imagined image of Hank a swift kick in the rear, "let me show you my favorite places in town. Granted I haven't been here in a long, long time, so I may get us a bit lost."

"Even if we lose our way, Miss Madsen, I am sure that with you directing us, the time we spend here will still be enjoyable."

Jodi fought and lost to a blush before she motioned for him to follow along beside her down the street. It was early afternoon, just after lunch, so the only people they ran into were tourists, since most of the locals were still at work. It surprised Jodi that they even got tourists this far out, but she supposed that was just one of the many changes she'd have to get used to now. Some of the shops she'd grown up loving had either moved locations or had shut down entirely, reminding Jodi that she hadn't been to town in well over a year. Mestral lived up to his word, however, and never seemed a bit bothered whenever she came across yet another change she hadn't expected: a building being where a park used to be, or street names having altered. Instead he asked her a few questions about her childhood and also why she liked a particular place. She found his company more comforting than frustrating after a while, similar to how she'd felt when they'd first left the ranch. He had a way of diverting her insecurities and frustrations and leaving her feeling at home in her own skin, as well as near him.

"Are you hungry?" She asked him a few hours later, well aware of the fact that it was dinner time and that they should be heading back soon.

Mestral tipped his head to the side, something he did when he was thinking, before he looked back down to her and nodded. "I am indeed ready for the evening meal."

"Good!" She smiled and pointed across the street. "This place has the best Italian food for miles!"

"I do not believe that I have ever had Italian food before. What is it?"

Jodi blinked at him. He'd seriously had lived such a sheltered life! She was just about to answer him at the same time that she stepped into the street to cross when he reached out and took hold of her elbow, effectively pulling her back onto the curb and near into his chest. A car zipped by mere seconds after. Jodi stared at the road where she would've been flattened then looked up to Mestral. She felt his hand still on her elbow, the warmth of it seeping through the thin material of her cardigan.

"Oh." Was the smartest thing she could manage to say once she found her voice again.

Mestral kept a hold on her elbow as he stepped down on the street, his eyes scanning both ways. "I believe it is customary for a man to escort a woman across the street. I have seen children do this with the elderly and I have also seen men do this with women."

"Yes," Jodi could only dumbly follow his lead across the street, wondering why he'd express himself as if he were different from such activities at the same time that she wondered why he'd suddenly partake of such activities with her, "that's quite true. Thank you." He let go of her elbow once they were outside the restaurant.

He opened the door for her and Jodi lost yet another battle against a blush as she preceded him inside. It was a busy night and they had to wait a few minutes before a table was cleared and they took their seats. They read through the menu silently before the waiter finally came and took their order. Since she never did this Jodi splurged and ordered a bottle of wine, fully mindful of the fact that she'd have to be careful with it since she was usually quite sensitive to alcohol. She waited until after the waiter left before she spoke up again.

"So Mister Mestral," he brought his previously wandering gaze back to her face and Jodi felt her skin tingle in response, "have you always been a vegetarian?"

"Yes I have."

"Why?"

The man was silent, his head tipped ever so slightly to the side, for a few moments before he finally responded. "I believe it has much to do with the resources that were around my home. Vegetables and fruits can be readily grown in greenhouses but meat cannot. The environment of my home is not suitable for most fauna and so my people have grown accustomed to eating a mainly vegetarian diet."

"I take it you're from the southwest then?" He merely blinked at her. "The desert I mean."

"Yes," Mestral picked up the glass of wine that the waiter had poured in front of him, "the desert. I am from the desert."

He didn't sound very convincing but then again he sometimes sounded like that. She'd ask him a question and when he couldn't respond right away, as if he were fighting a mental block, she'd offer a possible answer and he'd merely agree with whatever it was she'd offered. It made her wonder if he was a veteran, returning to his militant self-control, and had suffered from a head injury or something. That would explain a lot of his peculiarities. She watched him sniff at the wine before he put the glass back down on the table.

"I believe our drink has spoiled and is unfit for consumption."

Jodi laughed, "It's fermented, Mister Mestral, of course it smells spoiled." She picked up her glass and took a sip, enjoying the warmth that immediately branched out from her tongue and throat as she swallowed. "At least try it before your turn your nose up at it. I bought the whole bottle after all. A little crazy I know but I don't get to do this very often."

Mestral picked up the glass, sniffed its contents again, and then took a very small sip. She watched his face carefully, mindful to watch his eyes more than anything else since they were the most expressive part of his face. His eyes narrowed slightly and then he took another sip, this time a bit bigger than the first, and she watched his Adams apple bob up and down as he swallowed. It was probably sinful how much she longed to touch his neck. She tore her eyes away from his neck and looked back to his face.

"Well?"

Mestral placed the glass back on the table. "It is not wholly disagreeable in taste or texture. I believe it is an intoxicant, yes?"

"Yes." Jodi couldn't help but giggle at the way he expressed himself. "It is an intoxicant. However, I doubt you'll get intoxicated just from sipping it. I'm a bit more sensitive to it but I promise I won't get drunk."

Mestral nodded then after a slight pause questioned, "What do you not get to do very often?"

"Pardon?"

He picked up his glass and took another sip, as if the taste of the wine would remind him exactly what it was she'd said earlier that he was now referring to. "You indicated that you bought the bottle of wine because you do not get to do 'this' very often. What is it that you do not get to do?"

Jodi shrugged, "Well I haven't been on a date in years." Her eyes widened and she barely resisted the urge to clamp a hand over her mouth in shame. "I mean it's not like we're on a date or anything like that but—"

"I am unaware of the implication of your words, Miss Madsen, so there is no need to feel such distress if that is the source of such." Mestral interrupted her before she could stick another foot in her mouth. "If you are indicating that you do not often have the opportunity to spend a day in town in such a fashion as we have today then I understand why you would feel the desire to purchase the whole bottle of wine. I find that many will do such as you in an effort to remember the moment. However, remembering the moment with the aid of an intoxicant is not very logical."

Jodi was spared having to apologize, resist the urge to kiss him for yet again diverting her anxiety, and also questioning him further on why he wouldn't know what she meant by "date" with the arrival of their starters. She changed the subject to their food after that and explained what each dish was and answered his inquiries as to why such and such a dish was her favorite and etc. They managed to make it to desert without further verbal mishap on her part but that was all shot to hell with the arrival of unwanted visitors.

"Why bless my soul is that Jodi Madsen?" A voice that she'd hoped to not hear for many years if ever again sounded far too close to her right for comfort and Jodi turned to see none other than Gavin Turner standing shoulder-to-shoulder with his brother Gabriel. She'd dated Gabriel briefly in high school, if writing silly love notes to each other in class and sneaking out of P.E. in order to go fishing together could be considered dating. They'd drifted apart once Gabriel had joined the army though, or perhaps a bit before that, and the last she'd heard he'd begun to seriously court one their old classmates. Gavin was another matter entirely, however. He'd gone to the same college as she and it had been Gavin who'd stolen her virginity. It had been a stupid mistake, aided with far too much alcohol and too little sleep, and Gavin had never let her forget that it was he that'd finally scored with the "ice queen of Montana." He was for all intents and purposes a horse's ass. "I haven't seen you around these parts in ages." Before she could utter a protest or a greeting she had Gavin's arms wrapped around her shoulders and her face was pressed into his neck. He reeked of too much beer and cologne. "You're looking mighty fine Jodi." He pulled back slower than necessary and one his hands remained on her shoulder. "Who's this?"

Jodi stared at Gavin for a second, wondering if it was lawful to stab his hand with a fork, before she looked past him to Gabriel. At least Gabriel looked uncomfortable, while Gavin continued to look like he owned the very bit of earth upon which he stood. Jodi sighed and rolled her shoulder, a subtle hint to the man to let go. He didn't get the hint.

"Gavin, Gabriel," she again looked over to Gabriel and gave him a tense smile before looking across the table to Mestral. Mestral's face showed no sign of what it was he might be feeling, watching all this, but Jodi was certain that his eyes were taking in every detail of everything that was happening. "This is Mister Mestral. He works on Yew Valley Farm."

"Oh really?" Gavin's hand slid across the back of her neck to her other shoulder as he crouched down to be near eye level with her. The nauseating scent of beer radiated off his clothing and breath. "Now I thought the great Jodi Madsen didn't consort with her workers. Isn't that right Gabriel?" He didn't bother to look over his shoulder to Gabriel; he merely used his brother as an excuse to make her even more uncomfortable. Gabriel had worked briefly for her father during a summer in high school and that had actually been the beginning of the "cooling off" of their relationship; she'd told him that she didn't want things to get complicated since he worked for her father. The next winter Gabriel had joined the army and they hadn't spoken intimately since then. "How the mighty have fallen if that isn't true anymore."

"Hey Gavin I think Peggy is waiting at the theater with our tickets." Jodi looked over Gavin's shoulder to Gabriel, thankful for the man's attempt at dislodging his brother from her presence and yet also disgusted that he still didn't seem to have the gumption to stand directly against him even after all these years. "It was nice to see you again Jodi, and pleasure meeting you Mister Mestral."

"Let Peggy wait, Gabriel, or if you want you can go on ahead." Gavin maintained eye contact with Jodi as he grabbed a chair and sat down closer than necessary to her. "I'd like to catch up with our dear, sweet Jodi Madsen." Gabriel looked like he wanted to argue with Gavin but after a few hesitant moments he tucked his tail between his legs and ran, leaving Jodi with the drunk or near to it Gavin.

Before Jodi could say anything further she heard Mestral speak up, "Miss Madsen and I have finished our meal and need to retire to our vehicle in order to return to Yew Valley Farm."

Gavin looked over to Mestral, "Now what sort of fellow is she fucking now? You talk mighty strange. Maybe if I'd talked strange like you the ice queen of Montana would still be fucking me."

Jodi felt shame blind her and dropped her gaze to her lap. She was glad that the restaurant had continued to be loud and it seemed unaware of what was happening at their table but she still wanted to crawl into a hole and die now. Gavin had just said that to get a rise out of her but she was not the woman she'd been before. She wasn't defeatist by any chance, if he'd tried to corner her when she wasn't already feeling warm and a little sluggish from the wine, or if she hadn't been in the presence of her current crush, then she would've given him what-for (though she'd never been able to "win" against him even in the past). But for whatever reason having him say these things with Mestral to see, made her want to run away instead of confront him.

"You are making Miss Madsen uncomfortable and I find that fact to be most disquieting." She heard a strange quality enter Mestral's voice as he spoke and she looked up to see him standing across from her, his hands twitching at his sides as if he were trying to resist curling them into fists. "I ask that you remove yourself from her presence this instant."

"Remove myself-" Gavin shook his head at Mestral's words. "Buddy I sure hope you got some bite to go with that bark." Without warning Gavin grabbed the back of Jodi's head and yanked until he could lay a kiss on her. She'd only barely begun to raise her arms to push him away when suddenly Gavin's mouth was gone and she was staring up at vacant space in the air above her where his face had been seconds before. She looked over to see that Mestral had moved far faster than she'd thought possible and now Gavin was on the floor unconscious.

Jodi drew herself to her feet and stared between Gavin's form and Mestral's once more calm features; she could've sworn seconds before she'd seen rage on his features. "What did you do to him?" She couldn't find any semblance of regret for whatever it was Mestral had done to the man and yet she couldn't help but wonder just how and what he had done.

"He is unharmed, if that is what you were anxious about. He will come to in a few minutes." Mestral looked past her to the rest of the restaurant and Jodi realized then that things had quieted down and she felt the eyes of most of the occupants on her back. "I believe it would be prudent of us to vacate the premises."

"Agreed." Jodi grabbed her purse and walked to the counter to pay, Mestral closer than normal at her side.

* * *

They walked in silence once they were out of the restaurant. The lack of noise was a welcome change to the environment they'd been in before. The fact that neither of them spoke now was also something that Mestral was grateful for, so that in that silence he could pinpoint where the strange surge of rage had come from. He'd attacked the man named Gavin in rage. Of course to the human eyes he would have appeared calm, his movements quick and calculated. The nerve pinch had been quickly and easily conducted and the man had fallen unconscious at his feet as he'd suspected he would. The fact that he'd done such a thing, unprovoked, in response to the man's handling of Miss Madsen however was what he found disturbing. Where had the rage come from and why had it happened so quickly?

He was still some time away from the fever and yet he couldn't help but wonder if something in the environment was causing him to suffer from the symptoms far earlier than normal. His growing awareness of Miss Madsen as a female, and that fact surpassing his awareness of her as his employer, making him reckless in his encounters with her (again reckless to a Vulcan but perhaps unobservable to a human). His physiological responses to her close proximity, the increase in heartrate and skin temperature, and the near constant inclination to pursue the curious responses she gave to his proximity as well. And now this, attacking an unarmed man in response to observing the man's obviously unwanted attentions on Miss Madsen. He understood that by human standards he had done nothing wrong and had been well within his "rights," his time on earth and in observation of the intricacies of male-to-male and female-to-male relationships assured him of this. Yet, as a Vulcan, he understood far too well just how far outside "normal" his behavior had been.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was soft and Mestral looked over to see her arms crossed, as if in an attempt to hug herself.

"I do not understand, what are you apologizing for?"

She looked up at him and he saw, even in the faint light of the street lamps, what looked to be unshed tears. He felt another surge of rage and had to look away. He would need to meditate long and hard about these new urges.

"For Gavin. He ruined a perfectly good evening." She sighed. "He and I-"

Mestral interrupted her, fully aware that if she tried to explain things it would only make her more emotionally unsure of herself, "There is no need for explanation Miss Madsen. What I observed was that the man was disrespectful of you and mindless in regards to what sort of attention you wanted or in his case did not want. He was, I believe, out of bounds, in touching you as he did."

He felt her staring at him and so looked back to her. Her lips turned upward into a small smile and Mestral felt the earlier rage subside in response. Curious.

"You're right. Thank you."

He didn't have time to respond, however, when out of the darkness a fist came towards his face and he hadn't the time to duck (as in doing so he would have had to move in Miss Madsen's direction and that would have caused her to fall into the street).

* * *

"Gavin! Gavin no!" Jodi screamed when he took another swing at Mestral. The first punch had been lucky, Jodi knew that Mestral was far too quick for Gavin to really hit him well, but that didn't stop her from worrying that Gavin would manage to get in a few more punches due to Mestral's bum ankle. Mestral continued to duck away from Gavin's swings. Jodi looked around until she spied something of use. With his attention on Mestral it was fairly easy to smash the trash can lid on his head, throwing him off balance enough for her to trip him further until he fell onto the pavement.

"Come on!" She grabbed Mestral's hand and took off down the street. She didn't want Mestral to have to fight Gavin on her behalf, that was just silly, nor did she want a run-in with the cops if they happened to drop by.

They ran a few blocks, hand-in-hand, until she felt Mestral tug at her hand and he led her down an alleyway. They crouched behind the large dumpster and waited.

Mestral couldn't hear the man Gavin pursuing them but still waited before he spoke. Miss Madsen was out of breath and would benefit from brief respite. In the seconds he waited before speaking he assessed once more how it was that he came to be kneeling next to the woman beside him, his cheek beginning to form an abrasion in response to a physical altercation with a human male. The first of its kind for him. It was a most curious and fascinating turn of events.

"I believe our pursuer has taken an alternate route." He finally broke the silence when he heard her breathing begin to return to normal. A strange sound, almost like a choked laugh, came from Miss Madsen and he looked over towards her. She did not appear hurt and yet he felt that she was not altogether balanced. "Are you unwell Miss Madsen?"

"No, Mister Mestral, I am quite well. Perhaps a bit winded after our run though." He watched as her eyes widened and her body swayed against his. She seemed to become aware, and suddenly, of how close she was next to him, as her breathing again changed as it often did when close to him. "Are you okay?" She asked then and before he could sufficiently assuage her fears over his well-being she pressed her fingers over his cheek. One of her fingers brushed over a meld point and Mestral fought a fast urge to press his fingers against her meld points in return. Her emotions were laid bare to him and he felt keenly her desire, her confusion, her sadness, the imbalance from the earlier intoxicant, and yet again further desire. Without meaning to, Mestral felt his own barriers weaken in response to her touch and her eyes widened and her mouth fell open on a breathless, "Oh," when this happened. Mestral quickly shielded himself, building back up the barrier before she felt so strongly his own desire, the confusion over his earlier rage, and the trepidation that he had towards the coming fever. Mestral wrapped a hand around her wrist and pulled her hand away from his face. He couldn't not quite bring himself to let go of her just yet though. The swirling emotions that he still felt from her, in the ghost touch against his face, and now through the pulse point on her wrist, were as much an intoxicant to him now as the wine had been to her earlier. He did not find her emotions to be distasteful nor did he wish to retreat from them. Instead, and this was most strange, he felt curious as to what other emotions and responses he could evoke from her if he moved his hand further up her arm.

Realizing that this curiosity was as much hers as it was his own, Mestral let go of her wrist and stood. He looked away from her down the alley. He focused on his breathing, slowing his heartrate, and regaining control. This was most unexpected, the immensity of his response to her touches and to the stimuli of the events of this evening. Even without looking at her now he felt her eyes on him, as if she was waiting for him to take control of the situation, and perhaps even her personage. Mestral knew now more than ever before that she would be more than reciprocal to his attentions, should he pursue such a route. That fact served as the sobering reminder that he needed to steer them back towards the vehicle and then back to the farm. He did not want to jeopardize this opportunity, nor did he want to mislead this woman. Mestral finally looked back down to her.

"We may return to our vehicle now." He shifted away and waited but when she did not respond with movement Mestral moved back to her side and took a hold of her elbow. He made sure that every area he touched now, as he led her from the alley back to the vehicle, was covered with material. He did not want a repeat of their earlier moment, at least not until he knew exactly why it was happening and what he could do about it. It seemed, with how she remained silent but compliant with his actions, that she felt the same, and they returned to Yew Valley Farm without further speaking (he of course drove, as she was still too imbalanced to do so).


	4. The Storm

_Long hiatus=I'm sorry. I do hope you enjoy this update, long in coming as it is. This is the origin story of an OC that will feature in a later story involving Soval, that is distantly connected to my other Star Trek fics. In the meantime, let me know what you think and cheers!_

* * *

Jodi cursed, and not for the first time, as her truck lurched over a rut in the road. She gritted her teeth and tightened her grip on the steering wheel. The wind had picked up over the last few miles and with the torrents of rain coming in white sheets across the horizon, it made the going difficult. She normally wouldn't have attempted to be out in this weather, smart enough to hole up in the house with the rest of her ranch hands, but then Mestral had to go do something stupid.

It'd been two months since they'd explored the town together; since she'd been given a glimpse of just how strong the attraction she felt towards him was. On some sleepless nights since then she'd kicked off her covers in frustration and lay staring at the ceiling as ghost touches of his fingers on her wrist coupled with the surge of emotions his touch had stirred up within her made her groan and curl into the fetal position, giving up on sleep altogether. She'd thought that after he moved back to the bunk house, his wound fully healed, it'd get easier. But it hadn't. It seemed that he was as determined now to avoid her as she'd been to avoid him prior to their town excursion. He orchestrated it to where they were rarely if ever alone together, which meant their evening talks had come to an end. And never since that night had he touched her, not even through clothing. This only served to confuse, disappoint, and frustrate Jodi more because somehow she knew, she knew, that the feelings that had warmed her nervous system that night had not just been her own. Somehow, and she wasn't about to explain it, she'd been given the opportunity to _feel_ as Mestral felt. So when it seemed he was stubbornly insistent upon ignoring what it was they'd shared, albeit briefly, Jodi had mentally torn her hair but given up. Mestral was a good worker and it wouldn't do to pursue him when he obviously would rather be left alone. Even if did find her attractive, even if she'd seen that he was drawn towards her, for whatever reason he wanted to keep her at arm's length. Jodi wasn't the type to violate another's desires like that, even if she had to quietly yearn and suffer in response.

Another gust of wind rattled the window panes of her truck and Jodi braced herself for the impact of the wall of rain that came barreling down the road towards her. The worst storm of the year, and perhaps on record for this part of the state, and here she was in the thick of it. _Damned stupid man_. Jodi shook her head as she eased up on the gas and bumped over another set of washboard rocks on the backroad. After the incident at the county fair, he'd approached Hank with a request for leave of absence, not bothering to voice such a request to her when that was the proper thing to do. Hank had granted it and hadn't tried to stop him from packing up provisions, taking a map, and setting off into the wilderness at the edge of the ranch. Hank had only confessed to her the particulars of direction and intention—solitary meditation—when news of the storm had reached them at the ranch. By that time, Mestral had been gone for a day.

Thankfully, Jodi knew all the backroads of the wild country, the fire roads her father and grandfather had helped build, and had set out in her truck with the hope of overtaking the ridiculous man and hauling his ass back to the ranch. This kind of storm was deadly if you didn't know what to do and for all his strength and capability, there was something decidedly vulnerable about Mestral. As if he didn't know what to expect next from the people around him, environment either. Sometimes it wasn't difficult to imagine that he'd been dropped on earth by an alien spaceship and left to fend for himself. His complete meltdown at the county fair further testimony to this wild thought of Jodi's.

They'd all gone together, only two or three of the ranch hands left behind to tend the animals. At first Mestral had tried to be one of the ones to stay behind but it had been Hank and Illah May who'd managed to manhandle him into the truck with Jodi. Hank had insisted upon sitting by the window, forcing Mestral into the middle with Jodi driving. It'd been the closest they'd been to one another since that night and Jodi had fought the urge to lean into him, rubbing herself against his warmth like a pathetic cat, the entire drive to the fair. He'd seemed unaffected the whole drive, sitting ram-rod straight in the seat, maintaining polite conversation with Hank. Only once, when she'd had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting a rabbit when it'd darted into the road, had his cool exterior broken a bit. His arm had gone out and grabbed hold of the door, forming a barrier against which Jodi pressed before the truck settled. As quickly as he'd moved to hold her in place, his arm was gone again, hands neatly placed in his lap. Jodi had had to shake her head and nervously chuckle at Hank's horrible joke before she could move the truck again.

Once at the fair everyone had scattered, each with different intentions of food or fun in mind. Hank had taken Mestral under his arm while Jodi had for the first bit of the fair helped Illah May with her competition. The majority of the group of Yew Valley Farm met together for the community dinner, taking up an entire long table to themselves. Jodi wasn't sure how he did it, but again Hank had managed to get Mestral beside Jodi during the meal. Maybe Mestral had been raised to defer to elders, which was an honorable characteristic to have, but it was truly fascinating to Jodi how Hank could get Mestral to do things that if Jodi tried Mestral would most likely sprout wings and fly away from her.

They'd not spoken much during the meal, mostly joining in with the larger conversation around them, and thankfully the jovial nature of her friends had helped make the experience easier. She'd become determined then to forget out the awkwardness with Mestral and to live up the time at the fair that she could. And she'd been successful at that, until Hank had finished his dance with her then practically threw her at Mestral and told Mestral to dance with her next. Jodi had watched as a slightly greenish tint had crept up his neck and tinged his cheeks before he politely declined the insistent prompt from Hank. He said he didn't know how to dance and didn't want to hurt Jodi's feet.

Jodi had tried to sit down then but had been yanked back towards the dance floor without warning instead. When she'd looked up to see who it was she'd felt bile rise in her throat. Gavin had come back to be an asshole. Even when Jodi had tried to squirm out of the dance, Gavin's grip had been vice-like and his voice had rumbled into her heart with abuses. But then suddenly, Gavin had been lifted from her arms and she'd been alone on the edge of the dancefloor. Illah May had come to stand beside her, gripping her elbow, as they watched a crowd begin to form just in front of them. At first Jodi hadn't a clue what was going on but then the crowd shifted and she'd seen Gavin and Mestral going at each other with fists. The look on Mestral's face had made Jodi's heart stop. He wanted to murder Gavin.

She'd thrown herself through the crowd and against Mestral's body then. As much as she hated Gavin, and found sickening pleasure in the fact that he was bloody and panting and barely standing on his feet now, she didn't want Mestral to be punished because of her. At first Mestral tried to advance again towards the swaying Gavin but then Jodi had reached up and placed her hand on his face, turning his head to look at her. Her breath had been knocked from her then by the waves of emotions, again not her own, that powered through their skin-to-skin contact. Rage, blind rage, was first. Then as soon as she felt that it was quickly replaced with lust, desire, yearning, and finally fear. Jodi's mouth dropped open as she'd clung to Mestral, who by now had regained control enough to take hold of her hand and arm and push her away. They'd continued to stare at one another, his hands still upon her forearm and wrist, their breaths coming in unison, until Gabriel's apology distracted her and Mestral released her.

The rest of the evening had been a blur but the ride home was still a vivid memory. Mestral had tried to get out of sitting in the truck with her but this time it'd been Illah May who'd gotten him into the truck beside Jodi, taking up position by the window. As they'd driven back towards the house, Illah May had made use of the truck's first aid kit and cleaned up some of the cuts and abrasions Mestral's earlier fight had given him. She'd not even asked about the color of the blood. Her clucking at Mestral hadn't served to ease the tension between Mestral and Jodi, however, it just reminded them that they weren't alone and didn't have the opportunity to discuss what the hell had just happened, for the second time.

Never before had Jodi ever felt something like that. She'd not been with many men and she'd only ever really liked Gabriel, with a child's love, but never had she ever been washed with the emotions of someone else. She knew her own emotions, recognized them. The things she'd felt at the fair, and before that in the alleyway, had not been her emotions. They'd had a unique, non-Jodi feel to them, and it only made sense that they would be coming from Mestral. How was it possible that every time they touched, skin-to-skin, she was able to feel what he felt? As they were sitting in the cab of the truck, Illah May complaining about Gavin, Jodi felt nothing but her own emotions. There was no part of Mestral's skin that was touching her own. But Jodi knew, instinctively, that if she reached out and traced her finger against the pulse point on his neck, that she'd know right away what he was feeling.

It had been on the very same evening that Mestral had gone to Hank, asking for leave, and it'd been only a few hours ago that Hank had confessed to Jodi Mestral's whereabouts. Now Jodi was playing knight-ess in shining armor, trying to save the foolish man from himself. He had no idea what it was to be exposed to weather like this. In the half-a-year she'd known him, almost more now that she thought about when it was he'd arrived, she'd never once gotten from him any indication that he'd lived in an area like Montana before. If he wanted some "alone time," that was fine. He could go off and be alone all he wanted, once the storm was over and she knew for a fact that he was doing so in a safe way.

Jodi switched on her headlights. The bridge up ahead looked like it wouldn't last the night, not with the rate of rain and the rising level of the angry looking river. She took a quick breath and released it at the same time that she gunned the truck forward, racing across the bridge. Once across, she looked in the rearview mirror. The bridge was still there, but even through the rain and wind she could hear the distinct sound of wood and metal groaning against each other. Once she found Mestral, she was going to kill him.

* * *

Though the wind that reached him even here within the hunter's shack he'd come across was cold, Mestral's naked body shone with a sheen of sweat. He'd built up a raging fire within the fire place and lit a second one within the stove just across the room. The room was now warm, perhaps too warm for human standards, but Mestral found the warmth to be of comfort. He sat upon the rug in front of the fire, his body folded into a meditation pose, his clothing discarded upon the cot nearby. When he'd first started to meditate, the material of the earth-made garments had distracted him, kept him grounded into the moment. Thus he'd divested himself of them and now sat naked before the fire, much as his ancestors had done centuries before in the caves of Vulcan.

This was no cave but it was exactly what he'd needed: a one-roomed shack with two wooden chairs, one cot, and a thick woven rug spread along most of the wooden floor. Along one wall there was a sink, a small fridge, and some shelves with canned food items and cooking utensils. The only other door, aside from the entrance, led into a small restroom with one toilet and a shower head. He'd happened upon the shack just before the storm had intensified and if he'd been human he would've said he'd been "lucky" to find it. He'd been going through the forest when suddenly an old road had appeared before him, winding out of the shadows of the forest and weaving further into more shadows. With the wind and rain kicking up then, thunder and lightning punctuating the growing storm, Mestral had followed the road straight to the shack.

He needed this time alone to meditate. He was turning into someone he did not recognize, and he could not blame _pon farr_ for that was still too far away to truly influence his behavior now. The only times he'd felt inclined towards violence had been against Gavin when he'd been making Jodi uncomfortable and had refused to let go even when she'd made it clear that was what she wanted. At those times he'd been made hot with rage and had given into the temptation to shed the human male's blood in retribution for to discomfort he'd caused Jodi. Then, in the times he'd been in close proximity with Jodi, even though he'd taken great pains to limit those times, he'd nearly given into the irrational yearnings to touch her meld points, to feel again the waves of her human emotions as they channeled through her cool touch. He could clearly see that she would welcome his touch, that she yearned for it for he did, and this had only been confirmed to him when she'd stopped him from taking Gavin's life, her hands instinctively seeking out his meld points, and her concern, hope, desires, and confusion cleaning him of the blind rage and leaving him shaking with desire and fear.

Mestral kept his eyes closed but instead of picturing the endless dunes of the familiar deserts of Vulcan, he saw clearly an image of Jodi. She stood within a pool of water and moonlight shimmered off her bare shoulders. The water came to just above her chest. Her arms moved back and forth on the surface of the water making small ripples that hid the rest of her body from view. Mestral knew she was naked, just as the projected image of himself was equally naked. She was watching him with clear, bright eyes, her expression one of serene curiosity. Mestral tightened his fingers into fists by his sides. As Mestal stood there, watching the image of Jodi in the water, he thought of what had created fear inside him.

When Jodi suddenly began to move towards him, the movements slow, but the water beginning to recede from her body, he realized that she was what scared him. Not Jodi as a female. But Jodi as a human. While he had not been on earth long, he'd met many different types of humans, male and female, and Jodi was the first one he could, if he allowed himself the idle curiosity, see himself being compatible with. It was not just the physical compatibility, though he'd yet to know if humans and Vulcans could be compatible sexually, but the mental and emotional as well. In the times that her emotions had been laid open to him, Mestal had not found them repulsive or disquieting, as he thought perhaps he would should a human female seek to convey that much of herself to him. Instead, he now found that he wanted more access to her emotions, to her body, to her.

But he did not know if he could ever show her how he felt. He knew already that the depth and intensity of Vulcan emotions, though controlled, were much more than what humans were used to. Even at their angriest, humans were still only a fraction of what an angry Vulcan was like. She had yet to know that he was not human and once she found out, would she still accept him? Something inside Mestral, and he'd yet to determine if it was the rational or irrational side, reassured Mestral that his lack of humanity would not prove to be the greatest deterrent between himself and Jodi. She'd accepted his differences without question so far therefore perhaps it was not too much of an illogical leap to think that given the right incentive to accept further differences—namely the possibility of an intimate relationship shared with him—she would be willing to do so?

The sound of splashing drew Mestral's attention back to the image of Jodi in the water. Jodi ran her hand over the top of her head and down the length of her hair. His jaw clenched tight. Water dripped from her skin and trailed downward, creating a path Mestral could not look away from.

"Why do you fear me?" she asked him then.

Mestral hesitated; his mind was blank. His body was burning with a heat he had never felt before outside of _pon farr_. She asked the one question that he himself could not answer yet.

"Why do you fear this…us?" She asked in a louder tone this time.

He couldn't think of a logical answer. The image of the way she always gazed at him flashed in his mind and his heart hammered faster in his body. She was a willing, interested, and compatible female. Given the population on Earth, his ability to travel across it, and his own projected number of years of life, the probability of finding another such as Jodi was small. Yes, the numbers indicated that he could find another, but that other would not be Jodi.

"Do you not want to touch me?"

Mestral released his fists and took a steadying breath. If he could face down this image, if he could come to terms with the emotions this image was creating, then he could be more in control in reality.

She moved forward again, the tops of her breasts clearly visible, "You have to be curious as to how my skin feels. What my lips might feel like on yours. Aren't you Mestral?" Her tone of voice was lower and her words seeped into him down deep. An unexpected tremble ran through him and he flinched; he wasn't controlling himself here as much as he'd have liked.

Mestral kept his eyes upon Jodi's face when he finally responded, "You are right. I do fear you. I fear us and the unknown that would come from initiating anything beyond what is professional with you."

Jodi took another step forward and now Mestral could see the outlines of her nipples, darker in hue against the rest of the white skin of her breast.

"The intensity of my desire to touch you, to feel you, has also placed fear inside me." She moved again and now he could see all of her chest and a bit of her stomach. Mestral slowed his breathing in order to continue, "What I fear is that you will reject me should I seek to initiate something more permanent with you. What I fear is that in spite of my desires, and your own, that we will prove to be incompatible. This will result in your discomfort and it would only be logical that I leave you." She moved again and now Mestral could see nearly all of her torso. "The idea that once you find out what I am you will just start running and never look back, also makes me fear."

Jodi stood up straight. Her naked skin glistened in the light. Mestral's eyes slowly trailed down the length of her until the water stopped him at her mid-thigh. Full breasts, strong shoulders and hips, healthy weight. Pale smooth skin beckoned for his hands to explore wherever they desired to.

Mestral brought his eyes back up to meet Jodi's, "And me, I will be left with such an internal disquiet that all the exploration of this earth will not be enough to satiate the yearnings I know an intimate relationship with you will create."

Jodi's lips curved upward into a smile as she walked the rest of the way out of the water and stood within reach of Mestral's hands. She made no move to touch him.

"You have hidden this fear well. I had no idea." Her gaze was soft. Mestral reached out and gently touched the inside of her hands. With his palms up, he walked his fingers into her cupped hands until he pressed their palms together. Because this was within his mind only, Mestral was not filled with her emotions. He was left to imagine what they would be.

"I do not know what to expect from you for you are the first," she said. Mestral let go of her hands and trailed his fingertips up her arms. Mestral traced a slow line over her collarbone and then up the sides of her neck. "Your fears are my own. Surely you know that." She whispered as she tilted her head slightly to the right.

Through a heavy-lidded gaze he watched her. "Yes." Was all he said before he leaned down and laid his lips to her skin. His eyes closed as he imagined what this would feel like in reality. Feeling her quiver, he knew everything she was feeling, or at least he would had this been real. Even in knowing this was all within his mind, Mestral skimmed over her right nipple with his fingertips. His imagined Jodi ran her hands into his hair. His other hand slid to her waist and he pulled Jodi up towards him.

"You must tell me, Mestral." Jodi's voice was low again, and her eyes filled with a mirror image of his own lust.

Standing straight he placed either hand on her sides at her waist. "Jodi," he said in a low soft tone.

A crash brought Mestral out of his mind and back into the small shack in the middle of the forest in Montana. He looked around. Nothing had changed within the shack. The fire still raged, the room was still warm, and the storm continued on outside the wooden walls. But, Mestral narrowed his eyes as he looked at the far wall of the shack, those lights had not been there before. He turned his head and traced the light through the curtain-covered window. He stood and drew aside the curtain, his breath near stopping with what he saw. None other than Jodi was just outside the shack, at least her truck was. In the flashing of the lightning, Mestral could see that a tree had fallen on top of her truck. That had been the source of the earlier crash.

Not bothering with clothing, Mestral jerked open the door and hurried out into the rain. The sun was gone and the only source of light came from the window of the cabin behind him, the twin beams of her truck's lights, and the lightning overhead. It was a tall, skinny pine tree that'd fallen, landing directly on top of the cab of the vehicle. Mestral increased his steps until he stood just beside where the driver-side window should be. The weight of the tree, though skinny, had been enough to collapse the metal frame, broken class underfoot on the ground. Mestral drew closer and peered inside. It was Jodi. She lay on her side, unconscious with a bit of blood on her forehead.

Mestral felt another surge of rage course through his body and this time he didn't fight the roar that erupted from his throat. With all the strength he had, Mestral placed his naked shoulder beneath the trunk of the tree and pushed. It didn't move right away, wedged as it was within the metal of Jodi's truck, but two more strong pushes and Mestral was able to heave the trunk away. He would not be able to pull Jodi out through the driver-side door, but now that he'd gotten the tree off the cab of the truck, he could see that the back window, though shattered, was still wide enough for him to reach in and get her.

* * *

Jodi woke up surrounded by the scent of Mestral. Rain soaked through her clothing, alerting her to the fact that she hadn't been unconscious for long, but as she came to she became aware of a few other things. One: Mestral was holding on to her and was in the process of dragging her the final stretch of earth to the cabin from her wrecked truck. Two: her head hurt like hell. Three: Mestral was very, very naked. When she'd stumbled earlier and tried to latch onto something on his body to keep from falling, her hands had only found flesh, flesh, and more flesh. She'd been saved from hitting the ground when Mestral had taken it upon himself to scoop her into his arms and walk the remaining distance unhindered by her attempts to walk.

Once inside Mestral still didn't let go of her like she thought he would. Instead, he kicked the door shut with his foot and carried her over to the fire. He still didn't let go of her then, either, and instead of setting her down on the rug on her own, Mestral crossed his legs and sat down, taking Jodi into his lap as he did so. He did all this with such a grave and serious expression upon his face that Jodi hadn't thought to protest. Now, however, that her head was cleared of the fog she'd first woken up with and instead it throbbed and ached with the reminder of that stupid pine tree, she felt that perhaps she could ask whether or not he could perhaps let her sit on her own.

Jodi shifted in his lap, using her hands on his shoulders to do so. She stopped moving almost immediately, aside from her mouth dropping open and her breath catching in her throat. There were no barriers between them, aside from her drenched clothing, and it seemed that Mestral was also not feeling inclined towards creating further barriers by pushing her away. Because of this, Jodi began to feel dizzy as wave after wave of emotions not her own seeped through Mestral's skin and into her body. Relief. Concern. Yearning. Hope. Confusion. Desire. Jodi shook her head, mindful how every movement like that set it to spinning. She didn't feel any fear this time. Jodi released his shoulders and instead traced her hands around his neck and up to touch his face. Mestral did not pull away; if anything, he leaned more fully into her touch.

His gaze was intense, the color of his eyes looked animal-like in the firelight. They stood out against the black of his hair that was plastered by the wind and rain to his face. He didn't blink. He didn't move. Jodi traced his face with her fingers and eyes, her touch light and almost cautious. It was then that she noticed his ears. He'd always been so careful to keep them covered but now there was no hiding them and their unmistakably non-human design. Jodi lifted her hands and touched the tips of his ears, careful not to put too much pressure in case they were overly sensitive. Mestral continued to stare back at her, his expression one of unhurried intent. His bare chest rose and fell beside her. Jodi, feeling emboldened by his lack of hesitation, traced her fingertips along the length of his ears, watching as he eyes closed momentarily and his nostrils flared as he took a sharp intake of breath. It was not a response of pain, touching his skin as she was she knew quite well that he felt only desire and relief. If there was discomfort it was not from her touches.

Jodi pulled her hands back and laid them in her lap. She lowered her gaze as well. "Are you going to say something?" she asked. He didn't move. "I am not a mind reader you know." She looked up and searched his gaze for any change. "I don't know what's going on here."

Mestral reached up and placed his hand alongside her face, drawing her eyes back towards his face. Through his touch she could feel a deep longing, a yearning that made her breath catch in her throat. Jodi remained quiet as Mestral tipped her head down to inspect the bump that had begun to form on her forehead. His probing fingers made her wince but aside from a small cut, that wouldn't need stitches, and a headache, Jodi felt none the worse for wear. Of course, her truck was going to need much more attention—and she would make Mestral pay for the damages since she was only in this mess because of him. Where she'd felt cold before from the wind and rain she now felt warm, almost too warm, being held by the furnace in Mestral's arms in front of an equally warm fire. In spite of the warmth, however, Jodi began to shiver.

"Are you cold?" It was the first he'd spoken and Jodi shivered again as his voice wrapped around her heightened nerves and made her want to purr with pleasure. She loved the sound of his voice.

"Maybe a little. I think it's just that I'm wet." Jodi glanced at his naked chest then blushed and looked away. "Do you know if there's a towel in the bathroom?"

"There is."

Jodi nibbled her lower lip, "Do you think I could use it?"

'You may."

Though he'd given her permission to do something she actually didn't need permission to do, he'd yet to let go of her. Jodi wasn't panicked about that, in fact she didn't want to leave his lap either, but she really was wet and it really was starting to get uncomfortable sitting there all soggy. As if sensing her discomfort, finally, Mestral relinquished his hold on her and helped her stand. Jodi averted her gaze as she hurried over to the bathroom and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. It wasn't until she was staring into her own reflection that she realized she was panting slightly.

Something was different about Mestral. He was more controlled, more purposeful, and most assuredly was no longer shying away from touching her. Jodi instinctively knew that nothing was going to be the same after this night. She would not walk out of the shack the same woman who'd been carried in. And unless she ran out of the shack now, out into the wildness of the storm, there was no way to avoid this change. If she stayed, in staying, she was willingly going past the point of no return. If she left, not that that was really an option, she knew that would mean Mestral would leave her life forever. They could not bear to see one another after tonight as mere employer and employee. It was apparent that so much more than that was going on.

Jodi evened her breathing as she shed her wet clothing and wrung it out. Hank had said Mestral had come out here to meditate. In the time that she'd known him he'd always been calm, aside from the times he'd attacked Gavin and the glimpses into his true emotions when they'd touched. It must've not taken much meditation for him to come to the conclusion that he wanted her. She wasn't an idiot. He'd been looking at her with desire and she'd felt the beginnings of an erection press against her rear when she'd been sitting in his lap. Now the question was: did she want him back?

Jodi piled her clothing up into a pile the returned her gaze to the small mirror. Having sex with a man was one thing but what Mestral offered, it was not sex. Jodi knew that with every fiber of her being. He was not the type to have sex and move on. If she chose to become intimate with him then that is what they would be, intimate and for as long as it was possible. He hadn't given in to his own temptations to touch her, or her desires that he do so, because this matter was too serious for him. She didn't have to be a mind reader to know that about him. He'd practically shouted that fact with his behavior over the past few months and in the little allusions to his character in the months before that during their conversations. She had to make a decision here. Was this for keeps or had she been feeling mere lust up till now?

* * *

Mestral heard the door to the bathroom open but did not look up from where he was making a warm beverage for Jodi to drink. She might feel chilled from the abrupt change in environment and the exposure to the elements as she had been. While she did not know of the importance such an act was, his making her a drink and offering it to her, there was no doubt that she'd been pondering the gravity of what might come next while in the bathroom. She'd been in there for quite some time.

"Mestral."

Mestral held the mug in both hands as he turned around. He nearly dropped the mug to the floor in shock. Jodi stood nude in front of the fire, her wet clothing draped on the wooden chairs near the fire. Her hair was beginning to dry, curling around her face and hanging loose around her shoulders. His eyes drank in the sight of her. White flesh, tinted pinkish orange in the firelight. Long legs, wide hips and shoulders, near exactly as his mind had imagined her to look just before her arrival. Mestral swallowed the rest of his shock away and moved to hand her the mug. Jodi took it with shaking hands. They maintained eye contact as she drank most of the contents of the mug and Mestral's chest tightened. She did not know, he reminded himself, what such a gesture meant to Vulcans, what such a gesture was doing to his control.

She finished the drink and handed the mug back to him. Their fingers touched in the process and Mestral heard a soft sigh come from Jodi through the brief contact. He set the mug aside the stepped closer. He reached for her hand again, mimicking the movements he'd taken in his meditation, pressing his fingertips against the center of her palm then tracing his fingers outward until he could hold her palm close against his own. Jodi sighed again and this time Mestral also felt his shoulders sag with a moment of relief. That he could finally touch her like this, that he was finally at peace with himself for wanting to do so. That he had directly connection with her emotions...

"Mestral." Mestral brought his eyes back to hers. Jodi licked her lips and took a steadying breath before she reached out and touched his chest where, if he'd been human, his heart might've been. She moved her hand down his chest and over his ribs until she came to where she could feel his heart rapidly beating. Her eyes widened and he felt through her touch a sense of confirmation, of surprise but also understanding. Perhaps she'd had thoughts that he was not human and now, feeling that his heart was in a different place, seeing and touching his ears, combined with the earlier exposure to his green blood, all of it served to come together for her. "Show me what comes next Mestral."

Her words made Mestral's muscles tighten. She trusted him enough to follow his lead. She was offering him acceptance and more with her movements and words. Mestral came closer and cupped her face with one hand. He had not had much experience with the human form of kissing but through their clasped hands, he could feel her desire for more physical contact. He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, softly at first, exploring the feeling of it. It was different from his other kiss. Whereas before he'd only felt shock and curiosity, here and now he found himself leaning into Jodi's waiting arms, letting go of her hand in order to bring his hands up her back to the nape of her neck. Jodi wrapped her arms around his torso and pressed herself against him, the feeling of her heartbeat against his body further reminding him of just how different what they were about to share was going to be from anything he'd ever felt before.

He felt Jodi flick out her tongue, tracing it along the seam of his lips. Mestral immediately responded by opening himself to her and was rewarded by the sweet taste of her tongue as it entered his mouth. It was a strange, alien sensation, having her tongue slowly rub against his own, tasting him, gently sucking, but Mestral found that he found it most pleasurable and was soon mimicking her movements with his own tongue. The longer they stood with their mouths together, exchanging the deeply intimate kisses that humans liked to share, the more Mestral felt his desire grow. Perhaps the kiss, like this, served as a way of transferring hormones from the male to the female and vice versa.

All scientific thought was wiped from his mind when Jodi moaned and he felt her nails lightly rake against the flesh on his back. Mestral left her mouth and trailed his lips down her neck to the junction between her neck and shoulder, gasping in the breath her movements and moan had robbed him of. He didn't want to lose control, not so soon. They stood panting for a moment longer before Mestral shifted away just enough to draw Jodi downward. She laid down without protest, her body supple and pliant beneath his hands.

He laid beside her, his hips not quite aligned with hers, and slid his hands up the floor and rested on his elbows at her head. With the rise of her breath her chest grazed against his. He leaned a little closer and they were now almost nose to nose. He saw her tense at his closeness, but more than that he felt her quiver when he finally shifted his hips and then their bodies touched the full length of each other. They were silent and adjusting to the new sensations for only a moment before she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his skin at the base of his neck. Fierce hunger started to shred what little control remained within him.

Mestral slid his hands to her waist and gently pulled himself slightly off her. Staring into her questioning eyes he ran his thumb over her lips. A flash of shameless yearning washed over her gaze and he watched her lips part open, taking his thumb in her mouth, and closed the distance again between them by pulling him back down to be flush against her once more. She watched his eyes close for a moment when she no doubt felt his erection throb against her stomach.

"Open your mouth," he instructed and once she did so Mestral slipped his thumb in and Jodi sucked on it. Her eyes then closed from his caress on her lower, inner thigh. Fingertips trailed up in a slow unsteady line as he kneaded her skin. A warm, moist heat emanated from between her legs and Mestral took his time to explore the soft curls he found waiting for him there. She was wet, a sign of arousal within Vulcan females as well, though it seemed human females demonstrated higher amounts of lubrication in response to peak arousal. Mestral felt his mouth water. He was overcome with a desire to taste her, to take her wetness into his mouth and lick at her folds until she whimpered and moaned his name.

"Mestral," she sighed.

"Say my name again," He said as he began to kiss down her throat, her breasts—stopping long enough to pull one nipple between his lips while with his other hand he lightly rolled the dark bud between his thumb and forefinger.

"Oh…Mestral!" Her cry was louder this time. Mestral winced, aware then that Jodi had dug her nails into his shoulders. This just increased his own desire and he resumed his earlier course, licking and kissing his way down her trembling stomach, then past the triangle of dark hair at the junction between her thighs. He laid his cheek against the inside of one of her thighs, cupping her waist with one hand while the other rubbed up and down her stomach, his arm long enough still to trace fingertips over one hardened nipple before trailing back down to skirt at the edge of her pubic hair. Her body had warmed, from the fire and her passion, and it was tinted a most fascinating pink now. She'd raised herself onto her elbows, her mouth open, her stomach rising and falling with her breaths, and was watching him with bright eyes.

He could tell by her reactions she had never been touched this way before; which was most logical because her desires were being fed back into her by his touch, his own passion serving to heighten hers. Mestral maintained eye contact as he placed his lips against the soft, thin skin of her thigh. He kissed a line down her leg then pulled back before he slowly lowered himself until he could reach out and taste her with his tongue. He heard the air leave her, his name sighed out once more, as his tongue came out to taste her again. Her juices were of an alkaline nature, not unpleasant in the slightest, and the musky smell the juices made combined with the heat and her curls was a heady mixture that made Mestral hum in contentment as he continued his oral exploration.

Jodi did not lie still as he explored, her hips beginning to shift impatiently, and her legs quaking. Mestral placed both his hands on her hips and anchored her where she was, humming again with contentment when he felt her fingers find their grip within his hair. Mestral moved lower until he found her opening. He pushed his tongue inward and was rewarded with Jodi's cry of, "Mestral," as her hips fought against his grip to shift closer. Mestral pushed his tongue further in, sucking at her juices when he felt her internal walls clench. He'd made her reach her orgasm. He felt it through where their skin touched, a surge of blinding pleasure making his own arousal spike. Mestral raised his head and watched as her torso arched and her head turned back and forth. Her eyes were closed, mouth open, hands moving from his hair to his face, to her own body and back again. Mestral knew that he now looked at one of the most aesthetically pleasing sights he'd ever seen in his lifetime.

He waited until her breathing began to return to normal before he moved again, shifting upward between her legs and slowly sliding a single digit inside her. Immediately her eyes flew open and another moan came from her lips. Her body, though warmed from passion, was still cooler than a Vulcan female would be and Mestral found the difference intoxicating. He slid a second finger in and pushed deep with a slow, controlled thrust. Jodi grabbed at his shoulders, leveling her gaze with his as he repeated the movement. Her grip on his skin dug into him. "Ah Mestral," she whimpered.

Mestral withdrew his hand then thrust it back in with a deep, quick thrust. Jodi gasped and moved her hips against him, her hands tugging at his shoulders. It was not enough. Mestral knew what she wanted, what he wanted even more. Without warning, Jodi leaned up on her elbows and reached down, taking hold of his erection. Mestral felt his heart slam against the barrier of his skin as her fingers stroked the length of him. Metral paused long enough to know her rhythm before he began to pump his fingers in and out of her in time with her strokes. She moaned, the sound making him increase his movements, and she in turn tightened her grip on him. They were both panting, their bodies bright with beads of sweat. Mestral curled his fingers slightly as he began to withdraw them from her and Jodi's second climax was so sudden and intense that it slammed into Mestral and made him join her. His cry joined hers and his body tensed as he rode through the white pleasure, his climax feedings hers feeding his, making them both breathless.

When Mestral opened his eyes again, the intensity of their mutual orgasm subsiding into a pleasurable throb, he found his fingers still within Jodi, her walls clenching him, and she still held onto his rapidly returning erection. He would soon find out if humans had the same stamina as Vulcans. Perhaps it was a good thing that this was happening now and not closer to his _pon farr_ , because at least now, in between the bouts of passion, he had control and was mindful of her needs.

* * *

Without a word he pulled his fingers from her and took hold of her hand, pulling it away from his body. Nothing needed to be said between them as he shifted her body so that her legs wrapped around his waist, her legs up around his hips. Her body was sensitive, everywhere that she touched Mestral felt like it was on fire, but pleasantly so. Through their joined skin she could sense that Mestral felt the same towards her, this desire. He could no longer hide it from her. Jodi offered no protest and even aided in getting more comfortably situated. She could feel within the small link between them that he trusted her and she wanted him to know that she trusted him completely in return.

His fingertips played with the ends of her hair and she found the sudden tenderness after two, well for her two, intense orgasms, endearing. Jodi again traced her fingers along the outline of his ears, this time leaning forward to kiss the tip of one. She felt Mestral's heartrate increase. Smiling to herself, she licked down the outside of his ear then drew the fleshy lobe at the bottom between her lips. Mestral brought his hands up to cup her face, his thumbs stroking along her cheeks as she pulled back, a smile on her face.

"Jodi," she felt her insides do leaps of joy in response to her name on his lips. She smiled more and tipped her head forward until she could rest her forehead against his.

"Yes, Mestral?"

"Jodi, you trust me." It was a statement, not a question, and Jodi fought a giggle. To ask that after what they'd just done seemed a bit silly but she nodded just the same. "Will you allow me to do something?"

Jodi pulled back just enough to look into his face. His expression had grown more serious, though she could still feel his desire in both body and through the strange emotional transference that always occurred when they touched. It was obvious to Jodi that whatever it was he wanted to show her now, to do now, he felt that it was important for her to experience. She did trust him. She concentrated on conveying this thought to him through their touch even as she nodded. She watched his eyes close momentarily, a deep breath inflating his chest, before he slowly let it out again and opened his eyes. He brought a hand up to her face and placed his fingers alongside her cheekbones and eyebrow. Though they'd shared many more intimate touches just prior, there was an intense almost vibration coming from where his fingers were touching her face now.

"My mind, to your mind." Mestral kept his gaze centered upon Jodi's and she wrapped her hands around his shoulders, waiting for whatever it was coming next. "My thought to your thoughts."

A gasp escaped Jodi's throat as her world, as she understood it, changed forever.


	5. Becoming One

_Thank you for the continued support/reviews. Yes most of this chapter is again fluff, but I'm sure you don't mind terribly. :) No apologies on my take on Mestral, Vulcan bonding rituals, or anything of that nature. I did look up stuff but took bits and pieces of what's out there and voila. Hope you enjoy. Cheers!_

* * *

Jodi emerged from slumber to the feeling of lips against the thin flesh of her wrist. She hummed her approval in her throat, shifting her body until she felt him against her. Mestral's mouth continued to lave soft kisses to her wrist, in no hurry as he traveled up her forearm to her bicep then over to her shoulder, kissing and licking and sucking on his journey. Once he reached her neck Mestral's teeth grazed over the muscle connecting her neck to her shoulder. Jodi shivered and elicited a soft moan.

"Are you experiencing any adverse effects?"

Jodi managed to peel her eyes open and turned her head to look at the Vulcan. _Vulcan_. That was the name of his home world and the name of his species. He was a xenosociologist whose ship had crash landed in Pennsylvania three years before, his fellow shipmates choosing to return to Vulcan when a rescue ship arrived some months later. He'd been traveling around the United States in the time since then, observing and interacting with people of various social circles, and all in the name of science. He kept no diaries, or logs as he called them, but had all his experienced and ideas tucked neatly away inside his vast and very alien mind. Jodi smiled as she reached out to run her fingertips across one of his ears; he leaned into the touch. He'd never before experienced something like this, what he had with her, and any intimate encounters he'd had prior to this had been because of physical requirements and not emotional connections. He'd apparently lost his _bondmate_ only a few months before his mission to earth and hadn't sought to rectify that quite yet. Jodi's mind was still reeling, trying to make sense of everything and file it away in the appropriate compartments within her own mind, but it wasn't so easy for her as it seemed to be for Mestral. Really, it sounded so hokey and yet she'd seen it all, experienced it all, and because of the _mind meld_.

"I do not detect any pain." Mestral moved closer, his hand coming to run down the side of her face, along the curve of her neck, then down her ribcage. Jodi suppressed a giggle. "I do believe you are especially sensitive in this area?" He pressed his fingers against her ribs and Jodi giggled again.

"Yes, Mestral. I'm ticklish. The word is ticklish." She looped her arms around his neck and tugged until their torsos were aligned, their hips quickly following suit. "How long was I asleep?"

Mestral tipped his head to the side and blinked before answering, "Approximately forty-five minutes. I know you are uninterested in the amount of seconds."

"That would be correct." Jodi laughed and shook her head. "This is all so-" She sighed.

"Your emotional pattern has increased. I believe you are feeling contentment?"

"Yes, that's one thing I'm feeling." Jodi took to running her fingers through his hair, happy to watch the look of contentment soften the corners of Mestral's eyes. "I'm also feeling a bit overwhelmed. But not in a bad way. Just, well, this is all quite unexpected. You have to admit out of all the things I could've expected from tonight finding out you're not even from this planet was not on the list."

"I would not disagree with that statement." Mestral put his weight on one arm and leaned back just enough to be able to look down the length of Jodi's body. She felt herself warm under his gaze, her legs rubbing together. "I will also admit to believing that you are one of the most aesthetically pleasing females I have seen nude."

Jodi leaned up just long enough to press a kiss to his warm cheek. He was much warmer than her, something else about the differences between their bodies she'd only just begun to learn about. "Even if you'd seen more pleasing females, don't tell me. I'm sure you've studied human women long enough to know that comparing one to another, to their face, is never a good idea."

"That may be true." Mestral laid a hand over her right breast and Jodi's heartrate immediately increased. "However, I have never been physically intimate with a human woman and because of such have never had the opportunity to observe one up close whilst in the nude."

He increased his grip ever so slightly, enough to make Jodi's breath hitch in her throat. She kept her gaze on his face and when he turned, his gaze connecting with hers, Jodi's mouth dropped open on a gasp. Through his fingers she felt pulsations of warmth. From that one spot, spreading outward, sensations of tingling pleasure began to lick along her nervous system. Jodi gripped the back of Mestral's neck with one hand while the other fisted in the fabric of the carpet beside her. This was something else she'd learned about, his ability to sense emotions and transfer sensations through touch. She was not about to complain about how much of a "cheat" that was when it came to giving and getting pleasure.

"Having your emotions inside me," Mestral's voice was lower now and Jodi near squirmed in response, "that is as new an experience, and as pleasurable, as this," the sensations coming from his touch increased in strength for a brief moment, causing Jodi's stomach to quiver, before it subsided to a gentle lull, "is for you."

Jodi nodded, quite at a loss for words. Though she now knew Vulcans felt…differently…or at different levels than humans, she also knew that what Mestral "felt" for her was beyond just desire. Her earlier assumptions about his nature had been true in that he would not have initiated this level of intimacy, and for sure not the mind meld, unless he had a level of certainty that she would not only reciprocate the desire but also the inclination towards something more…permanent. Jodi smiled at the thought of the word and she watched the edges of Mestral's lips tug in his version of a smile, though of course one couldn't quite say a Vulcan truly smiled.

"You don't need to worry, you know." Surprisingly Jodi was able to sigh out the statement as Mestral's large, warm hand traveled from her breast down her rib cage to her stomach.

He rested his hand directly over her navel, the pulsations starting again, coming out in hot waves into her skin, "Of what are you referring to?" Jodi pictured Hank and the other ranch hands in her mind, the feelings Mestral's hands were churning up inside her a bit too strong to be able to speak at the moment. Mestral understood, through that "link" he'd created between their minds with the meld, and nodded. "Yes, I understand you. In retrospect, I believe Hank has been attempting to bring us to this very moment for some time now."

"Yes," Jodi was not ashamed of how wanton her voice sounded when Mestral finally moved his hand, bringing it down to cup her intimately. She knew she wouldn't last long if he kept up that pulsating thing. She watched Mestral's lips as another smile, this one more of a smirk, appeared. It seemed that he had every intention of ensuring that she wouldn't last long.

"I find the location of the ranch and the environment created by my colleagues and yourself to be conducive to a peaceful existence, in spite of my obvious differences." He slipped a finger inside and Jodi moaned. She'd let go of his neck and now gripped his bicep, her other hand still clutching at the carpet. "I hope you are not averse to the idea of traveling, however, as there is still much of Earth that I would like to see for myself." He curved the single digit and Jodi shivered when he rubbed it against the fleshy spot inside her that he'd said Vulcan females did not have, and that he apparently seemed to enjoy stimulating.

"How," Jodi panted, "can you still be talking?"

A fresh wave, stronger this time, of warm pulsations radiated out from Mestral's hand and Jodi gasped.

"The emotions coming from you indicate-"

Jodi shut him up by grabbing the back of his head and kissing him. Her tongue was inside his mouth, his in her own. He'd also told her that Vulcans "kiss" with their hands. Well whatever the hell he was doing with his hands, kissing her vagina apparently, felt bloody nice but she couldn't seem to get enough of his taste. He'd taken to the human form of kissing like a champion. She heard a sound, almost like a purr, come from Mestral's chest. The vibrations felt delicious against her naked flesh. Jodi used both hands to pull at Mestral's body until his chest was on hers. He kept one hand against her, his finger still slowly thrusting in and out, but the other he had under her head, pillowing it against the floor. Jodi tore her mouth away in order to breathe. Vulcans had larger lungs than humans too it seemed.

"Mestral." Jodi undulated her body against him as she tried to get him to do as she wanted without having to ask, "please…" her eyes widened when suddenly she was filled with two fingers instead of the one.

"Say what you want, Jodi." Mestral's voice was primal and low now, like a growl.

When she looked into his eyes she saw that they were dilated, almost black. His skin had an olive hue to it and she saw the vein in his neck pumping rapidly. Seeing him as needy as she felt gave her the confidence to speak.

"Mestral," He closed his eyes briefly when she said his name, another purr-like sound emanating from his chest in response, "I want you inside me." Jodi reached down between them and took hold of his erection. His body immediately tensed and bucked involuntarily into her hand. She moved slowly and Mestral moved with her as she spread her legs wider and guided him towards her opening. "I want to feel you here," she rubbed the tip of his erection against her wet folds then drew his eyes back up to her face by cupping his chin with her other hand, "and here." She traced her fingers across his forehead and down his temple.

Mestral closed his eyes and she felt a shudder pass through his body. When he opened his eyes, if possible, he looked even more aroused than before. "Jodi," her name came out of him on a growl, "to be linked in body and mind is to create a bond." Jodi's breath hitched as she felt a wave of something, she couldn't quite describe the emotion, seep into her body through Mestral's skin. It quickened her breath and accelerated her heart. "It would be permanent."

"Like…getting married?" She pictured, as simply as possible, the bonds between husbands and wives and the permanence of marriage.

Mestral nodded, "Yes. You would become my bondmate, and I yours. I would always know what you were feeling and you would know of my thoughts; though I'm not sure to what extent. Most bondmates are telepathic and I'm not sure if humans have the ability to be-" Jodi, for the second time, hushed Mestral with a kiss. In spite of the gravity of the moment, and the intensity of the desire she felt, and that she knew Mestral felt, the kiss was gentle and slow.

"I want you," Jodi shifted her hips without warning and he was suddenly inside her. They both moaned and Mestral's arms came around Jodi like in a vice grip, holding her firmly against his body. Instead of continuing the motion Mestral held very still, Jodi impaled upon his erection. For her part Jodi felt incredibly full and was having the hardest time not shimmying against him. "Mestral," she moaned out his name and he opened his eyes again to stare at her, "I want to be your bondmate."

Mestral pulled out of her only enough to surge back in, the tip of his erection touching her womb. Jodi clung to Mestral. He didn't move again right away, though she felt him pulsing inside her, his blood pumping madly.

"When," Mestral cleared his throat and spoke again, "when I tell you to, say these words, 'parted from me and never parted, never and always touching and touched. I await you.'"

Jodi nodded, already running the words over and over in her head, surprisingly able to commit them to memory even with Mestral filling her and overtaking her in body and now just about in mind. Mestral picked up one of her hands, his long fingers wrapping easily around her wrist. He positioned his hand on his face with her fingers splayed near his temple, his cheek, and just beneath his chin. He mimicked the position with one of his hands on her face. Even without saying anything, from the moment his fingers connected with her skin in the same manner as her fingers were on his, Jodi felt a massive influx of feelings and sensations that were not her own. It was too much. She wrapped her free hand around Mestral's neck and curled her legs around his waist, causing him to sink deeper into her. Her eyes squeezed shut as she cried out, a sudden and explosive orgasm overtaking her. She heard Mestral shout out something foreign as his free arm moved around her back and suddenly she was being pulled into his lap as he sat back on his heels. Her womb was filled with warmth and he pulsed inside her as he too came, a direct result of their link.

When Jodi finally managed to open her eyes and came down from the euphoric high she'd been thrust into, she realized that somehow her hand had stayed on Mestral's face, and his on hers. They'd bowed their heads together in the afterglow, their foreheads resting against each other, and with each panting breath they took in near unison their chests brushed. Jodi shivered, and most assuredly not from the cold, when she felt Mestral's now flaccid penis slip from her. Through the link with Mestral she felt that he was regaining control and was somehow "pushing" that control into her. Her head began to clear of the haze of desire and pleasure and what was left was a buzzing contentment, a sense of peace and perhaps even joy?

"Jodi," Mestral's voice sounded a bit raw and it was perhaps from the amount of times she'd made him yell in that alien language; Jodi smirked at the thought and she watched as Mestral's lips twitched at the edges in response. It was going to take some getting used to, knowing that he knew what she was thinking and feeling whenever he touched her and, if what he said earlier was correct, even when he wasn't touching her once they were bonded he'd still be able to know those things. Jodi's smile grew bigger. She was going to be such a nuisance back on the ranch whenever she craved Mestral's touch and he was out in the field with the boys or Hank. "Though I am not thoroughly acquainted with a human female's sexual urges, I can tell you that a Vulcan male's libido increases with age."

Jodi tipped her head back, careful not to jostle Mestral's hand from her face, and laughed. "That sounds wonderful. Though the studies aren't conclusive, and most people don't talk about such things, from what I've been told, those more advanced in age on earth also experience similar urges." She sobered up then and pressed a kiss on Mestral's cheek not currently covered with her hand. "I look forward to growing old with you."

"Jodi, Vulcans can live to be around 200 earth years old." Mestral replied quickly and easily.

Jodi's eyes widened, "How old are you right now?"

"I am approximately sixty years of age, earth years. I am young for my position within the Vulcan Science Directorate. I had to undergo rigorous testing and extensive interviews in order to be granted my position as it is not the custom to accept many under the age of eighty. I was the youngest member of my team when we crash landed on earth."

Jodi mulled over what this meant and while the thought of Mestral continuing to live more than half his lifetime without her did disturb her, at the same time it made this particular moment stronger and more precious. She used her free hand to stroke up and down his neck as she shifted her weight in his lap to get more comfortable. Mestral did the same and soon they were settled more on the rug before the now dying fire. Jodi studied his features in the soft light, committing everything she could to memory, and tried to imagine him with flecks of white in his hair.

Privy to her thoughts Mestral responded as if she'd voiced her thought aloud, "It is not likely that my hair color will start changing at the time of your death." Jodi's stomach lurched at how easily he spoke those words. Mestral must've felt the distress through the link and immediately flooded her with the Vulcan equivalent of reassurance. "While the logic is sound and the words are precise, that does not account for the loss that I will experience when you pass. Once we are fully linked you will know more of what I speak. But do not think that I take the future loss lightly or the present commitment equally so." Mestral's fingers increased their pressure against her skin and the link intensified. Her breath caught in her throat at the strength of the emotions—and there was no other way to explain what it was Mestral was sharing with her—that began to flood her senses again. Any prior disturbance she might've fleetingly contemplated fled at this.

"Do you still wish to bond with me?" From his voice, and the emotions she felt through him, Jodi could tell that he desperately wanted her to say yes but she knew she could trust him to withdraw if she told him to. It would be painful for him, and her as well, but he would do so if she requested.

Jodi smiled and kissed his cheek again, "When do I say those words again?"

Mestral's shoulders dropped a notch and she realized he'd been tensing up as if in preparation for her rejection. He straightened his back and Jodi mimicked his movements, even increasing the pressure under her fingertips against his _meld points_ —he supplied the word for her. Mestral cleared his throat, a very uncharacteristic thing for him but necessary considering their earlier activities, and after a deep, calming breath he spoke.

"Parted from me and never parted, never and always touching and touched. We meet at the appointed place."

Jodi felt something begin to tickle in her brain and it felt also as if was zipping its way down into her chest cavity. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling just strange. As if something was alive and moving around inside her, or at least was beginning to wake up. She came out of her internal musing when Mestral nodded to her.

"Parted from me and never parted, never and always touching and touched. I await you."

That strange sensation that had only tickled before now blossomed into a full-fledged overwhelming awareness. She could feel herself through Mestral's fingers, see herself and her emotions as he saw them, she was attached and unattached to her own mind and body. Through whatever awareness this was she could sense her own befuddlement, she could see her face flushing red and her chest rapidly rising and falling in pants; at the same time she was experiencing it at herself. She could sense Mestral's concern over her well-being, his curiosity over the new awareness he too was experiencing with her, and she caught a vague image of another being, a Vulcan woman—perhaps his former bondmate—and sensed a comparison between what he was now feeling to what he'd felt with her. Jodi felt warmth expand in her chest when she realized he preferred what it was he had now with her. Jodi heard Mestral's voice in her head as if he spoke aloud, but she knew he hadn't because his lips were now pressing against hers in a soft kiss.

 _"Kaifa."_ As Jodi returned the kiss she somehow understood that the word meant "wife." Most likely Mestral had passed that knowledge to her as well, or she'd just deduced it. She didn't much care, she was too busy adjusting to and enjoying this link.

"Husband." Jodi whispered against Mestral's lips.

"Kaifo." Mestral supplied the Vulcan word in response.

Jodi said the word in her head then tested it on her lips. It was a nice word. She looked forward to learning her husband's, kaifo's, language.

"How do you say darling?"

Mestral removed his hand from her meld points and brought both arms around her body, hugging her closer. Jodi also let her hand drop from his face and held onto his shoulders.

"T'hy'la would be the closest equivalent. It means lifelong friend or companion, though it is only spoken between lovers."

"My t'hy'la," Jodi shamelessly combined her earth language with Mestral's alien one and she felt a surge of approval come through the link. Even though they weren't touching meld points anymore she still felt him as strongly within her as if they were. It was a strange though not unwelcome feeling, having him inside her as much as she was inside him. "Can you see everything I see at all times, including my thoughts?"

"Your ability to transfer direct thoughts and images to me is not as advanced as if you were a Vulcan. However, I am pleased with what you are able to do. Thus far I can sense your emotions more than your thoughts and in reference to your thoughts they appear in my mind more as ambiguous images than solid thoughts patters. There were no barriers for me to cross in the meld and since you were complete unshielded to me I have been able to connect us at a much deeper level than I first thought I'd be able to do. I have no doubts that with time and practice you will be able to directly communicate with me."

Mestral leaned in and kissed her without another thought. She slid her hands down his bare chest and wrapped them around his waist. Mestral brought his hands up her back to her hair and he pulled it, tilting her head to the side, gazing at her briefly, and then deepened the kiss. It was so…different…being able to experience the kiss twice over. So long as she didn't allow it to distract her, the fact that she could feel herself as Mestral felt her only intensified her own desires. Their bodies pulled each other closer and then closer yet, to the point they had nearly become one. The bond between them hummed with a deepened life. Already with Mestral and his ability to increase the sensitivity of her skin through his touch, she'd climaxed faster and more frequently than ever before. With this bond Jodi got the distinct feeling that Mestral would probably be able to make her cum without even touching her, once they had that "time and practice" he spoke of.

However, in spite of her desires, Jodi did feel fatigue on the edges of her brain. She had no sense of time passage but she did know that even if mentally and emotionally she was up for anything, physically she was going to crash, and soon. She was probably only still fully conscious because of the added strength coming through the bond with Mestral. Mestral slowed his kiss and slowly pulled away. Jodi knew that he was as aware of her fatigue as she was.

"I will make food and we will eat then we will rest." Even though he said the words he did not yet make a move to extract himself from her arms.

Jodi smiled, "I'll help make the food so we can eat it faster and go to sleep faster."

"I'm not in complete agreement with your reasoning but I will accept your aid in collecting the necessary utensils. I want to provide for your needs." Through the link Jodi felt that it was important for Mestral to take care of her, especially after being bonded.

She sighed and nodded her silent agreement. They managed to extract themselves from one another then. Her legs were much more wobbly than expected when she accepted Mestral's hand to stand, though she didn't mind him holding her upright until she grew more steady. Neither one bothered with putting on clothing. The cabin was still very warm from the stove and fire and now that she wasn't completely focused on Mestral, Jodi heard that the storm had eased up outside.

Mestral made a simple soup and he went beyond her expectations in seeing to her needs by feeding her, or at least holding the bowl, his hands over her own, as she drank it. Normally she might've found the action strange, mayhaps controlling, but with Mestral it was beautiful evidence that he loved her. Of course, Jodi knew that he wouldn't describe what he felt for her as love but it was love nonetheless. He loved her as she loved him, if not more so considering he was facing a much direr future than her—she'd be blissfully unaware of the separation from him once she was dead and yet he'd have to go on living without her. Jodi placed her hands over Mestral's as he picked up the same bowl, now refilled, to drink from. He leveled his gaze on her and she felt his approval once more through the link; she smiled.

After the dishes were cleared away, Mestral secured the door and windows while Jodi stoked the fire and pulled the blankets and pillow from the cot and placed them on the floor in front of the fire. With both of them there it'd be more comfortable than trying to share that rickety old cot. Soon enough she was tucked into his side, her head on his shoulder and his arm comfortingly wrapped around her. She then was awake only long enough to feel him press his lips to her forehead and whisper her name against her hair. Then she knew nothing more and slept.


	6. Live to Serve

"It's a good thing Vulcans don't have the notion of 'I told you so,'" Jodi threw open the door and marched into the house, Mestral catching the door as it bounced off the wall and came towards his face, "If you did, oh so help me, Mestral." Mestral raised an eyebrow as he watched Jodi clench her fists in the air and thrust them violently back and forth whilst she closed her eyes and clenched her jaw.

Mestral was curious at the sudden influx of ire that he felt coming from his bondmate. He could pinpoint no specific incident that had occurred that day that would or should invoke such behavior from her. And while he was still adjusting to the bond and the ready-access to Jodi's emotions and the consequential influence that could have on his own objective capabilities, Mestral had over the past month of being bondmates believed himself to be more than a novice at recognizing triggers to an emotional response in Jodi. Just as he knew she sought to understand his unique needs as her bondmate—and he was more readily aware of her said efforts via the bond and his ability to decipher and use it accurately—he too sought to meet her needs. She required much more care and "nurturing," he believed that was the correct word, than a Vulcan female would. Mestral did not find the required adjustments to be a burden, however; they were the logical outcome for their bonding and he accepted them as one should accept any challenge the came as a direct result of an action taken.

"What is this 'I told you so' notion you speak of?" Mestral passed Jodi, who still stood in the hallway with her fists clenched and eyes closed, and went to the kitchen. He knew her emotions would grow more stable after refreshment and calmly speaking through her emotional triggers. He did not have to look over his shoulder to know that she followed him.

"It's an annoying nuisance and damned destructive on a relationship, is what it is." It looked as if Jodi fell into the chair he'd pulled out for her at the table but Mestral knew she was channeling her emotional energy into overemphasized physical actions. This did not concern him as it might have once done as he knew now that doing so helped humans, or at least Jodi, to regain control. It was a human form of undeveloped meditation.

Mestral placed the cup of juice in front of Jodi and stepped back. He was aware of her eyes drifting over to the coffee canister sitting on the counter behind him. She didn't say of what she'd prefer to be drinking but couldn't as she took a sip of the juice, closing her eyes as she swallowed. Mestral felt a surge of ease come through the bond and he sought to strengthen that when he leaned forward and drew his index and middle finger across her forehead and down her temple. She responded to his infusing sense of calm with a smile, reaching up and wrapping her fingers around his wrist. Mestral found that he "enjoyed" the physicality of his wife. While Vulcans were not unaffectionate, in comparison to how often Jodi desired a physical reminder of his commitment to her or initiated her own contact with him, Mestral observed that Vulcans had evolved past such things. As the links between Vulcan spouses relied primarily upon the mind, save for the _pon farr,_ there was no logical need for physical affection save to demonstrate ownership to rivals. The observations Mestral could make between his people and humans as a result of his bonding with Jodi continued to fascinate him.

"I'm sorry Mestral." Jodi opened her eyes and he saw and felt that she had recovered more emotional stability. "It's just that the other day Illah May and Hank were both, on their own and together, pestering me about my diet and exercise and making comments about being more careful. When I told them to bugger off, they both said I needed to because of the baby."

Mestral raised an eyebrow, "Hank and Illah May deduced your status prior to your appointment with the doctor today." Jodi nodded. "This is what bothered you?"

"Yes," Jodi frowned and shook her head, "no. Oh blast Mestral!" He felt her emotions creeping upwards past stability again. Mestral took a seat opposite her and held her hand between his own.

He pictured the sands of a Vulcan desert and channeled the responding calm through the link into Jodi's mind. So far in their experiments with the bond it seemed that Jodi's mind would latch onto images and sensations/emotions sent by Mestral but only on occasion could her mind decipher particular words and phrases. On her part, Jodi could still only transfer her emotions and when she concentrated a vague image. As Mestral had not left Jodi's side for long since their bonding, this did not prove to be a problem. He did, however, want to train her on how to hone her skills—if possible—in case they were ever separated and she needed to communicate with him telepathically.

"It makes sense now, knowing about the baby, all my mood swings and the morning sickness and dizzy spells. But I feel so damn ridiculous sometimes. Like just now, getting all in a tizzy because Illah May and Hank guessed I was pregnant and I said no way and then voila the doctor today confirmed it." Jodi pulled Mestral hand close to her face and she kissed his palm before hugging it against her chest. "How come you didn't guess it?"

Mestral rasied both eyebrows, "You are the first pregnant human female I've been intimately acquainted with." Jodi laughed and Mestral paused momentarily at the content he felt wash over him in response to her mirth. "While I have seen pregnant women before in my time on earth, I have not been privy to all the stages of the gestational growth and the hormonal and emotional changes that occur in response to the pregnancy. I made no effort to do extensive research on the subject prior to coming here namely because I did not think I would ever have a need to. I 'skimmed the surface,' as Hank would say, on the subject."

"You didn't notice my mood swings or anything?" Jodi suddenly blushed. "Or think it odd that I was suddenly so much more…needy?"

"I had observed an increase in your emotional cycles as well as an irregularity of emotional triggers. If you are referring to your increased libido when you say 'needy,' I was also aware of that but had not yet deduced my impregnating you as being the cause."

Jodi groaned and closed her eyes, "Why didn't I think about this before? I'm such an idiot."

"The doctor said it was not uncommon for a woman to 'spot' during her first cycle even after she has become pregnant, especially if the menstruation would have occurred directly after the act of coitus."

"Coitus," Jodi giggled and opened her eyes, "he didn't say coitus. Doctor von Ornum may have the book knowledge of all that but he has the vocabulary of a sailor." Jodi continued to chuckle as she used her free hand to grab the glass and drink more of her juice.

"I am unsure as to why an obstetric doctor would have a similar vocabulary with a naval man." Mestral watched as Jodi nearly spit out her juice. "Oh, it is one of your analogies. Then it must mean that most sailors on earth use lewd descriptive words and strong euphemisms in their conversations?" Jodi nodded as she set the now empty glass down and leaned back in her chair, his hand still in hers, though it now lay on the table between them. She was quiet for but a moment before he felt her emotions spike upward again. "What troubles you?"

"We need to get married now." Mestral raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything; he knew she would explain. "I know already that there will be talk when the baby is born so soon after our marriage but I don't want to get married with a big belly or a baby in my arms, and I don't want our baby to be born a bastard."

"We are already bonded."

Jodi rolled her eyes, "I know according to Vulcan standards we're married and bonded. But-"

"We would be unable to complete a full Vulcan wedding ceremony without the matron of my clan and-" Mestral cut himself off and allowed Jodi to continue, understanding that she had been in the process of explaining herself when he'd interjected with his logical observations.

"By human standards we are not married and while everyone here at the ranch is perfectly accepting of us living together as a couple, well except Illah May who's been bugging me from the day we got back, but there will be others outside of the ranch who won't be so accepting. Legitimacy of a child may seem like an illogical thing to worry about to a Vulcan but here on earth, if a kid is known to have been born to unmarried parents then he or she will be bullied and teased about that for all of their educational career." Jodi shook her head and Mestral felt…sorrow?...flow through their link. "I knew a guy in college named Steve who seemed like a perfectly nice guy, well-adjusted and all that, but one day after a football game someone called him a bastard and Steve lost it. Put the other guy in traction he beat him so bad. Came to find out that Steve had been born to unmarried parents and that his dad had abandoned his mom soon after he'd been born. That emotional wound had sat festering inside him for years and then that day was the hair that broke the camel's back."

Mestral understood that she was not referring to literal hairs or camels with her statements and deduced that this Steve had not properly dealt with his emotional triggers and had lashed out violently as a result. Not unlike what a Vulcan would do in response to an illogical dealt with traumatic memory.

"So you see Mestral, I want to get married as soon as possible in order to avoid unnecessary emotional damage. We can invite the minister to come here and have a small gathering with just us and the minister and not make any announcement in the paper. That way when people find out about it off the ranch they won't readily be able to guess that I was already pregnant when I got married."

"You are so concerned about the emotional welfare of our child?"

Jodi narrowed her eyes, "And you aren't?"

"That was not the meaning of my inquiry. You are already aware of the emotional differences between Vulcans and humans and together we are yet adjusting to those differences." Jodi nodded and the furrowed lines between her eyes softened. "I was inferring that this is one of those differences. Vulcan parents seek after the mental welfare of their children, training them up to have logic and reasoning capabilities and strength so that they may be able to overcome the violent emotional urges that will inevitable come, especially if they are male." Jodi again nodded and this time she squeezed his hand. When he'd told her of the _pon farr_ she hadn't reacted in fear but had sought as much objective information as he would offer, and he gave her everything he knew, in order that she could begin to prepare herself for when it came. "The emotional welfare of a Vulcan child is a byproduct of honing in on protecting the mental welfare. Therefore, it is fascinating to me that human parents seek after the emotional welfare of the child and it seems they leave the mental welfare to be a byproduct of the emotional training and proactive protection."

Jodi took in a deep breath and slowly let it out, "This is going to be interesting."

"By this, am I correct that you are referring to our future parenting?"

"Yup," Jodi chuckled, "but at least I don't have to worry about our kid growing up to be an idiot. How about this, you work on his or her mental prowess and I make sure they aren't emotionally immature?"

"What do you mean 'emotionally immature'? If we focus on developing his or her mental strength, then their maturity levels will automatically respond in kind."

"I mean," Jodi let go of his hand and took her empty glass to the sink to wash it, "you are fully Vulcan."

She paused long enough for Mestral to respond with, "Yes," having gained enough understanding of human conversational skills to know that at times they required redundant verbal prompts when dialoguing with one another.

"So you already know all this about who you are, what you are, what's expected of you, and so forth." She finished washing the glass and set it in the drying rack before she turned and leaned against the countertop to face him. "And I'm fully human with similar knowledge of human ways." She pointed to herself and Mestral nodded, understanding his cue to do so in her additional verbal pause. "Our child will be half of both of us. It will be fully up to us to educate him or her on expectations and reality. Since we live on earth, he or she will have to abide by earthly expectations, just as you do now. That doesn't mean that you can't or shouldn't teach them about Vulcan expectations or customs, but it does mean that we have to ensure that he or she has a good grasp on mental AND emotional awareness and maturity if we expect them to be successful and productive members of society."

Mestral tipped his head to the side and reflected on his bondmate's words. She'd made logical observations and Mestral concentrated on sending a wave of approval through their link. He watched Jodi's lips turn upward into a smile. She came forward then and as she did so her smile and gaze morphed into something else. Mestral was still learning to connect the emotional cues with Jodi's body language and facial cues, however he felt through their link that her attention had turned from future matters to tasks at hand.

"You are aware that Hank expected me to return to the pasture to aid him and the others upon my return from the doctor." Mestral did not attempt to stop Jodi as she began to unbutton his shirt.

She nodded and continued in her task, "I am also aware that by Vulcan standards a bondmate must look after the needs of his or her mate before others." She pulled open the shirt and ran her hands down his chest. Mestral felt his arousal stirring in direct response to her touch and her emotional influence through the link. "Now, t'hy'la," she stepped back and began to unbutton her own shirt, her eyes never leaving Mestral's, "see to my needs."

Mestral surged upwards and had her giggling body in his arms without further prompting

* * *

A little over a week later, Jodi got the wedding she wanted. Illah May had been in charge of the food and everything had tasted wonderful; she'd even gone out of her way to make special vegetarian options, though only Jodi and Mestral really ate those options—ever since her pregnancy the very thought of eating meat had made her want to hurl. Hank and the other ranch hands had made an amazing effort to build a makeshift arbor under which she and Mestral stood while the minister performed the ceremony, and a select few of the church ladies had come along with the minister to decorate the porch and house for the reception. Even Jessup had come back from school to attend, acting as the ring bearer. Hank had walked her down the aisle and gave her away to Mestral and she'd cried when she saw unshed tears of joy in Hank's eyes. She was doubly thankful for the bond with Mestral then, as otherwise she would've been a weeping mess during the rest of the ceremony; but through their touching hands and the bond itself he'd infused her with serenity.

While she'd gotten the wedding she wanted she didn't get a honeymoon. Things were too busy at the ranch since it was near calving time again. Orders were coming in for deliveries and then there was the sorting that needed to be done between which animals would stay and go, then of course the branding, not to mention fences always needed mending, and they were trying to build an additional barn and feed houses. Before she knew it, another month went by, this time a month of traditional marriage in addition to the Vulcan bonding, and Jodi marveled at how life could be so much the same after such a pivotal change in one's life and yet still be so altered.

She was still the same woman that she had been before meeting Mestral but only she felt more grounded; more secure; more herself, if that was possible. In her relationship with Mestral, she felt motivated to expand and challenge herself and the ranch's borders in ways that she'd only contemplated before, but now with Mestral by her side she felt proactive enough to pursue those ideas. Through the bond she was able to see herself as Mestral saw her and that did wonders for her confidence levels, also her sexiness factor—it was damn reassuring knowing that her husband found her so physically attractive that she'd merely had to picture herself naked and his breathing altered and his pupils dilated.

Jodi's goals had also shifted, and this in direct result to the pregnancy as well as Mestral's uniqueness. She now sought to include the legacy of her child in her future-planning, taking into account the fact that Mestral would long outlive her and as her child would be half-Vulcan, it was entirely possible that he or she would have increased longevity as well. She did not see these facts in a negative light, though they were sobering, but instead used them to help her in the moment. She trained her mind using the exercises Mestral taught her to hone her telepathic skills; she wanted to be able to participate in some of the things Mestral had described to her that Vulcan parents did with their offspring. She researched earthly parenting techniques too, bugging any married member on the ranch for pointers as well as subscribing to parenting magazines through the post. She wanted to be as prepared as possible since what they were going to face, she and Mestral, would be the first to ever occur on earth. A human/Vulcan hybrid.

Their child would face difficulties because of his or her physical differences, no doubt the ears were a dominant trait, and then there was the blood. Vulcans had copper based blood whereas human blood was iron based. Mestral had made Jodi's eyes roll into the back of her head and when he'd listed all the deformities and risks that had once plagued Vulcan children prior to their advancement in technology to combat such things. Jodi had had to fight panic when she'd done research on similar risks for human pregnancies. She didn't bother asking Mestral for the probabilities for survival for their child; she knew that he was aware of risks from the way he was extra attentive to her and "checked in" with her throughout the day wherever they were on the ranch. He insisted she only work half the day, and he had Hank and Illah May as backup to enforce that plan. Jodi had of course balked and fought against such notions. But then she'd collapsed one afternoon and she no longer fought them.

They hadn't tried to take her to the doctor but instead Doctor von Ornum came to her and concluded that for the rest of her pregnancy she was to be on bed rest. Of course, he was so adamant about the length because of her unique situation. Mestral had left it up to Jodi, the elaboration on his physical differences and that influence on their baby, but Doctor von Ornum had jumped on the idea of complications from the Rh factor instead of a complete difference in blood basis and Jodi was content, for the time being to let him think that. They would have to bring the good doctor into their intimate knowledge eventually, Jodi knew that—at least someone out there in the medical field who they could trust needed to know about their child's uniqueness otherwise…Jodi shuddered to think about the "otherwise."

And so Jodi slowly began to go mad. Not literally but some days she felt like clawing off her own skin out of boredom. There was still quite a bit she could get accomplished from indoors. And she didn't exactly stay in bed at all times. Under Illah May's scrutinizing eye, she performed simple chores indoors and also kept up with the ranch's paperwork. Mestral helped her bathe and every evening he would go through meditation exercises with her to help ease the mental and emotional strain of being stationary for so long. He carried her outdoors on the weekend for picnics or simply to sit on the porch for fresh air, but never was she allowed to walk up or down stairs or further than a few yards. While she hated feeling so useless, at the same time Jodi had to keep goal-oriented focus. Did she want her baby to survive? Yes. _So buck up, shut up, and sit the hell back down._ Illah May had yelled that at her on one particularly difficult day.

Jodi began to keep a journal, something she'd always swore she'd never do, and wrote in it her observations and thoughts on her marriage with Mestral, the stories he told her of Vulcan and his life before coming to earth, the details on how she'd come to love and respect Mestral, and her hopes for the future of her family. She had every intention of giving the journal to the child when it came close to her own death, and she hoped to have more than one journal by then filled with more fun stories of her adventures with Mestral and their child. She also began to sketch out a "vision board" inside the journal, outlining specific emotional and mental goals she had for herself, for both her and Mestral, and hopes she had for the baby. She had to do these things to keep positive. She read and stitched and did anything Illah May or Mestral allowed her to do to keep her mind occupied. And Mestral did physical therapy with her in the mornings and evenings: squeezing his hands, lightly pressing against his hands with her feet and arms, rotating her joints, and starting from her head and working her way to her toes tensing and loosening her muscles groups.

The days slowly tripped into weeks which creeped into months and finally the expected due date came, and then it went. The doctor couldn't come every day, it was too far, and there was also the weather to contend with. Being late winter there was talk of moving Jodi to the hospital in town but a week after the due date, near around the second week of January 1962, and in the middle of a snow storm, her water broke and the answer to that talk was had: she was having the baby on Yew Valley Farm.

* * *

Mestral steepled his fingers together and leaned his forehead against the tips. Concentrating on the image of a sand clock, he evened his breathing and slowed his heart rate. He was sitting in a chair by Jodi's bedside, meditating. On the bed she was writhing and moaning, the pain from her earlier contraction having eased up momentarily but still disquieting her. Illah May was wiping her skin with a cool rag. As they were alone in her room, Jodi was nude on the bed, having ripped off her bed cloths some hours before in her pain and frustration. Mestral found her lack of clothing appropriate for the current circumstances and had not responded to Illah May's blushes at the time of Jodi's stripping.

Whenever the pain increased he would hold her hand, doing what he could to ease the pain, taking it into himself and pushing comfort into his wife. In the moments that the pain lessened, Mestral would retreat into himself to regain control, to compartmentalize the rabid emotions his wife had transferred inside him. His internal cooling mechanism was under high stress and he at times he felt faint, as if he'd been in the Vulcan desert for too many days without sustenance, but then Jodi would curl up and cry out and his own needs and discomfort would be set aside. The sheets were damp from her sweat and tears and after every contraction Illah May would pull the discarded pillows from the floor to replace them under Jodi's hips and neck and would set about bathing her again.

Mestral knew from his research that human labor could last many hours, the length dependent upon the health of the woman and the frequency of her pregnancies. As this was not only Jodi's first pregnancy, but she was also giving birth to a hybrid, Mestral knew that much of what was to happen next could only be speculated at. they'd already been in this room for six hours, twenty-three minutes, and approximately ten seconds. He would take careful notes and add them to Jodi's journal after his son's birth; the objective information of this time would be helpful for his son should he take a mate in his future.

"Mestral." Jodi's hand reached out and Mestral immediately grasped it. Emotions, hot like the Vulcan sun and violent like a sandstorm, surged inside Mestral causing his breathing to hitch in response. Her grip tightened and Jodi moaned as she rolled forward and clutched at her knees.

Illah May, standing at the end of the bed, looked over to Mestral, "I think it's about time now. Get on the bed behind her," Mestral did as instructed and situated himself directly behind Jodi, putting his legs on either side of hers and offering his chest for her to lean on. She immediately leaned against him and clamped her hands onto his knees; Mestral responded by wrapping his arms under her armpits and holding her more firmly against him. "When I say push, you push as hard as you can Jodi. You hear me?" Jodi's head bobbed up and down next to Mestral's. Mestral continued to push comfort through the link at the same time that he attempted to lessen the pain. "All right I see the head. Push!" Illah May was between Jodi's legs and spoke again, "Push, Jodi. Push!"

Jodi's body tightened in Mestral's arms and he too felt his muscle tense as she let out a careening wail. Mestral spoke to her mind, _Breathe. Breathe. Breathe._ And in concentrating he helped to synch their breaths in-between the pushing. With Illah May's coaching and Mestral's aid, Jodi gave one final push some time later then collapsed against Mestral's chest. Mestral ran his hands over her face and calmed himself when he felt her breath and a steady pulse. She had momentarily blacked out from the strain as moments later her eyes fluttered and opened at the sounds of a baby's cry. She peered up at Mestral and then together they looked down to see Illah May holding the wailing, flailing, blood-covered baby.

"Your son." Illah May was grinning as she handed the babe to Jodi and turned aside to retrieve the linens to clean the baby with.

Mestral felt a sudden wave of joy and satisfaction flow through the bond once Jodi had the baby in her arms. He was not accustomed to seeing a child immediately after birth and so found the cone shape of the baby's head and the general smell and appearance of the tiny thing requiring some adjustment in his earlier expectations. He leaned down over Jodi's shoulder and smoothed his index and middle finger across the baby's head and down over its temple. There was no solid emotional response, only need, that Mestral felt through the connection but he concentrated on "soothing thoughts" as Jodi had described them. The baby's cries lessened but it still continued to kick and flail in Jodi's arms until Illah May returned to cut the cord and clean him up.

"Muroc." Mestral spoke into Jodi's ear, feeling her energy fading, an expected thing after such a long ordeal. He too felt great fatigue. "It means 'night hope.'"

They'd already discussed their son's name and its meaning but Mestral spoke mostly for Illah May's benefit, watching as the woman nodded with a smile when she handed the newly cleaned baby back. "That's a good name and considering the lad was born in the middle of the night on a snowy January evening, it's fitting as well."

Mestral felt Jodi's fingers on his cheek and he looked down to see her smiling at him, the edges of her eyes and lips soft from fatigue but also from the joy he knew she felt, "Thank you, t'hy'la."

He kissed her forehead, "I live to serve you." Muroc let out a grunt and Mestral took hold of his son's fist. "Both of you."


	7. The after years

_I thank you again for the reviews and support in the making of this story. This story was partially made because there are not nearly enough stories about Mestral, and that "man"/Vulcan was epically cool, but also as a setup for an OC that will feature in a later story. I hope you've enjoyed. Please let me know what you've thought of the story in a review and perhaps even give your thoughts on what else you think could've happened in the "after years" for Jodi and Mestral. Cheers!_

* * *

Epilogue

Muroc James (for Jodi's grandfather) Madsen was born to Mestral and Jodi Madsen on January 6 1962. He was 7lbs and 8ounces. His ears were not as pointed as his fathers but they were decidedly more pointed than his mothers. His skin tone was olive in hue, similar to his father's, but when angered or impassioned his skin would flush a strange yellowish color. His hair, once it grew, had more curl in it than both his father or his mother, but both knew the texture assuredly came from Jodi's side of the family. In all, when Doctor von Ornum checked him out nearly two days after his birth Muroc appeared fit and healthy and not at all a sufferer of an RH problem.

However, as months went by it became increasingly apparent to both Mestral and Jodi that something was different about their son. He had nosebleeds often, requiring his nose to be cauterized, and he bruised very easily; only after tests was it determined that young Muroc suffered from hemophilia. Mestral and Jodi understood the reason, the near incompatibility of the blood differences within Muroc's body, but even after he'd been told of these things—and the complete truth regarding Mestral—Doctor von Ornum had only shrugged and cited to them the statistics of such a disorder occurring between two humans, saying it was little wonder that it would occur between a human and an alien. Beyond that, Doctor von Ornum had little to say regarding Mestral's otherworldliness and took everything in stride. He became Mestral and Muroc's personal doctor and was very dedicated to making house calls, even when he was too old to drive himself he came whenever they needed him. This was all an amazing feat, in Jodi's opinion, considering how sheltered most country doctors were.

Additionally, it turned out that Muroc's emotional stability could not be determined for some time after his birth. He would cycle from complete apathy, with little cries, to incessant crying and discomfort. It wasn't until he was a teenager that his emotional cycles came under better control. His physical maturity and emotional maturity were also a dichotomy to one another. While Mestral taught him well, the meditation and emotional controls that he would need as he grew, his physical body lagged. It was behind even his human peers, Muroc being smaller in stature and height than the other boys his own age. This did not change even after he hit puberty, though he was far from dwarfish he was still centimeters shorter than his peers; Mestral said that Muroc took after his mother's side of the clan, stating that his mother had been quite short—for a Vulcan—whereas Jodi was inclined to believe that it was yet another side effect of their mixed genes.

Jodi and Mestral didn't quite travel as often or as far as either of them had expected when they'd first gotten married. With Muroc's weak health in the early years, and then later with the ranch expansion and upgrades, there just never seemed to be time or opportunity. But this didn't bother either Mestral or Jodi. They were more than content with their corner of the world to grow closer to one another physically and through the bond that grew stronger with each passing year. Eventually Jodi learned how to project words and thoughts in a similar fashion to young Vulcans, but Mestral assumed it was the difference in brain makeup the prevented Jodi was mastering the same mental techniques as most Vulcan adults could. This did not in any way deter either of them from happiness or satisfaction within their marriage. Both Mestral and Jodi could not imagine, or speculate, what life would be like with another and especially with Muroc running around them, they didn't want to think of what life would be like without him. They never had another baby. There had been two miscarriages after Muroc, but no stillbirths or live children. Both Jodi and Mestral were content with Muroc, pleased that he'd survived against the odds.

In spite of his physical "defects" Muroc grew and matured, forming friendships and anti-friendships much the same as any other human male, and eventually he went off to college in Chicago. It was during his studies in the university that he met, courted, and finally married Edith Louise Pratcher. She was quite similar to Jodi, at least in her quick acceptance towards Muroc's hybridity and the general "alien" nature of both Muroc and Mestral. She'd only had to meet Jodi twice before Jodi gave her approval and encouraged Muroc to marry Edith. Mestral was more reserved between the two, given Muroc's young age of 28 (a normal marriable age for humans but unseemly for Vulcans) but even he gave his consent when Muroc asked for it, coupled with the logical reasons behind his choice of bondmate. Muroc and Edith were married in a simple ceremony in Edith's hometown of Galena, Illinois on March 18, 1990.

Five years later, Edith and Muroc had a baby girl; they named her Elonat Louise Madsen. It had been Mestral's idea, the name of Elonat, meaning different and free, as it had been his clan mother's name and it was a Vulcan—as well as human—tradition to carry on the clan through names into the next generation. Sadly, Elonat was not born so privately as Muroc had been, and she was also born in the tumultuous times of the Eugenics Wars. When word was whispered along the hospital corridors regarding Elonat's "deformities"—namely her pointed ears, surprisingly more pointed than her fathers, as well as her green blood, whereas her father had had red—she'd unbeknownst to the Madsen family become a target of fanatics. The records regarding her subsequent kidnapping at the hands of "scientists" and how she'd been experimented on using Augment serums were lost in World War 3. Equally lost were the records of her rescue, organized namely by her grandfather Mestral and her father Muroc. More than a few individuals died in the rescuing, including Elonat's mother Edith, making the ultimate sacrifice a parent can make for their child.

For the following ten years, Elonat and her father Muroc lived with Mestral and Jodi on Yew Valley Farms in relative peace and seclusion. Muroc never attempted to take another wife and when his fever came once more, though he felt it to a lesser extent than his father, Muroc was assisted by Mestral meditated through the ordeal and still maintained his sanity. Mestral too, had gotten into the habit of meditating through his fever as Jodi, now aged in her seventies, was too old and fragile to assist him physically, though after so many years of marriage she could assist him through the mental and emotional bond without difficulty.

Elonat, in spite of the chaos surrounding her birth, grew up strong and healthy. It was assumed that her increased vitality, physical strength, mental prowess, and general well-being—in comparison to not only her father but also to her peers—had much to do with the Augment serums she'd been injected with as a child. She was more human with her emotional cycles and did not have the same mental control as her father, or grandfather, but she did have an aptitude for it whenever she managed to sit still long enough to concentrate. Because she thought, and often moved, faster than most, Elonat was often into trouble—though innocent trouble, the result of innate curiosity and a tenacious mindset. Her father was the disciplinary in her life, her grandfather secondly so, whereas her grandmother was the one who encouraged her to explore everything fully and completely because one never knew when the end of something might be.

It was in the eleventh year of life for Elonat that Jodi was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Knowing that there was no cure, and not wanting to spend the last few years of her life in a hospital room hooked up to chemotherapy machines, Jodi convinced Mestral to take her on all those trips they never went on for various reasons. It had taken convincing from both a young Elonat and a more human Muroc for Mestral to acquiesce to this request. For one full year, following the diagnosis, Mestral and Jodi traveled. They lived as much in that one year together as many wish they could in a lifetime. Then, after forty-five years of marriage, having raised one son and one granddaughter together, Jodi Madsen passed away at the age of 77 on August 1st, 2007.

Both Mestral and Muroc continued on in their widowerhood state from that time on, content to have loved and lost, and jointly ran Yew Valley Farms. They supported Elonat in her studies and exploration of the world and both were "surprised" when Elonat took on the "tranquil" vocation of high school teacher instead of something more outlandish, as they'd assumed she would do considering her tendency towards mischief and the breadth of her intelligence.

In 2026 World War 3 brought an end to Elonat's career, as well as many lives around the world. Yew Valley Farms became as much a refugee camp as it was a ranch. The Madsen family welcomed any who had a need and each member used his, or her, unique differences to aid the development of a high tech but low key refugee camp. Their camp collected all sorts of individuals; mostly scientists, intellectuals, some former politicians, as well as the run-of-the-mill type. It was partially because of this mixture, as well as the technology that they had access to, in addition to the darker turn the War had taken, that the idea of cryogenics was proposed. There was a sort of government within the camp, on which both Mestral and Muroc served, and within that governing body the idea of cryogenically freezing a select number of individuals from among the camp, in the hopes of preserving some good within humanity should the war turn out as it seemed to be turning—with the utter destruction of all life on earth.

A lottery system was created for this purpose and to Muroc's relief, and Mestral's as well, Elonat's name was within that lottery. Elonat was less inclined towards this idea, having lost her mother at a young age and then her second mother figure as well, she did not relish having to be separated prematurely from either her father or her grandfather. But the will of the lottery won out and Elonat, different from her peers by blood and Augmentation, surrendered herself to a cryogenic sleep in the year 2029.

The idea was that the war would end within the next decade and then everyone would be awakened and Elonat could be reunited with both her father and beloved grandfather. This was not to be, however, and not only did the war drag on until 2053, after which the world descending into a nuclear winter, but also it can be assumed that both Mestral and Muroc were killed when a nuclear bomb was detonated fairly close to the Yew Valley Refugee camp in 2052. Nearly all members, above ground, in the camp were incinerated or burned beyond recognition. No one was led to believe that the founding members of the camp would have been elsewhere as in all the years of its operation, neither Mestral or Muroc had left the camp for any reason. The cryogenic chamber was never found and all records regarding it were lost in the blast.

And so the line of Mestral and Muroc, the only Vulcan and Vulcan-human hybrid to have lived and died on earth, continued on within the sleeping body of Elonat Louise Madsen. When the cryogenic chamber in which her pod and the others would be found, many years later in 2157, Elonat would awaken to a brave new world.


End file.
